There are a few questions out there that are political classics. They follow presidents and other high-ranking officials around, just waiting for the right time to appear. Those questions — What did you know? — and — When did you know it? — have a way of causing intense heartburn, but for those questions to start popping up when Barack Obama has only been on the job for less than a year and a half shows that even the liberal media is getting tired of Obama’s tactics.
As noted by The Hill, “Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday requested that the Obama administration appoint a special prosecutor to probe allegations it offered Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.) a job to stay out of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic primary.” If such an allegation turns out to be true, it is ILLEGAL:
In a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, the members say the alleged offer could have violated federal laws that prohibit the “promise of employment or other benefit for political activity.”
“The allegations in this matter are very serious and, if true, suggest a possible violation of various federal criminal laws intended to safeguard our political process from the taint of bribes and political machine manipulation,” they wrote.
Sestak, the candidate who beat Arlen Specter in the Pennsylvania Democrat Senate primary, had previously mentioned that he was offered a job to stay out of the race. This was at a time when party-switching Specter was in the White House’s good graces. As The Hill reports, “Sestak confirmed his claim on the Sunday talk-show circuit last weekend, but declined to elaborate further.”
Host Joe Scarborough doesn’t quite get it right when talking about the media aspect of this story. Yes, the White House is stonewalling, but the press corps IS asking questions. As long as the White House continues to say nothing, the questions will only continue. And they should, because this is not the first time the Obama administration has been accused of trying to illegally influence political activities, such as stepping in during the process of picking the Senate successor in Illinois to fill Obama’s Senate seat.
As noted in a story on FoxNews.com, the tension between the White House and the press corps “may be reaching new heights.”
The press secretary also shut down questions a day earlier about Rep. Joe Sestak’s claim that the Obama administration offered him a job in exchange for dropping out of the Senate Democratic primary race against Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter. Sestak, who did not take the alleged offer, won that race last week but has not been willing to elaborate on his allegation in media interviews.
Gibbs and other officials haven’t shed any light on the subject either.
“I don’t have anything to add to what I said in March,” Gibbs said Thursday when the topic was broached.
So, what did White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs say in March? He said the Sestak issue was “not problematic.” That sheds a whole lot of light on the situation.
You can count on one thing: this story will not go away. Chicago politics has a way of leaving debris, and as reporters and legislators shift through the wreckage, Obama and company might not like what they find.
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And some say there isn’t 10 cents worth of difference between the Democrats and Republicans! I beg to differ.
bho and friends continue to demonstrate their contempt for the rule of law.
Why isn’t the media making a bigger deal with the SEIU episode at the bankers house that Nina Easton reported and there is video. I haven’t heard the Obama Administration say anything on it. This is scary stuff. Hot Air Article
The Obama administration has lied about so many things that it s hard to believe anything that comes out of the whitehouse. For example His past is so stonewalled, he ignores his family on his fathers side.Like his Aunt and Half brother who
lives in total poverty. His lying alone is cause for the Birthers. Then why does he have a SSN issued in Connectcut when he has never lived there and the records on the number says he is 109 years old. Itwas issued 3 years after he worked at Baskin and Robins in Hawii. What SSN did
he use there? His Grandmother says that she was there at his birth. His wife said on video that his country is Kenya.He does not seem to have even rudementary knowledge about American History,he said that we have 56 states. He is the boy who cried wolf and now no one believes him.
Yes, RK May, the rule of law hangs in the balance. We seem to be moving towards a “buffet legal system”, were everyone gets to select which laws they are willing to obey. Currently this reaches all the way to qualifications to be president and maybe even resident. There is no position of Head of Czars so one has to open up and let the world see if one’s qualifications are valid.
Further example is a press note yesterday that said some sheriff’s were talking to the AG? Probably about the AZ law. Gosh, since when do sheriff’s or other law enforcement people get to lobby to get legal support to get rid of a law. Did they really even complain or is this just a figment of some czar’s immagination? This is not the first law not liked by the police, but maybe the first law-to-be, that has been subject to such narrow, negative back lash! The city govt’s of La and San Fran and untold others actually act like a bunch of protetesting Muslims with signs and clenched fists pumping in the air and marching in protests.
What is wanted is to create chaos by eliminating the rule of law so a take over by Islam and Sharia Law will take place. Both the Communists and the Muslims seem to use this tactic by undermining the legal system. Here they are using violating civil rights as the club to beat America into submission!
Even a bend over backward mainstream media will grow weary of secrecy. Beware Obama….You’ve had the press fawning over you since the campaign trail and your approval rating is horrible. What will happen when the press start treating you without the kid gloves? What happens when Joe Public begins to see the political, Chicago machine tactics employed by your administation? I’ll bet Jimmy Carter is a happy man these days…It won’t be long until he’s regarded as the second worst president in modern times.
This Joe Sestak thing is just another data point on the Obama Administration corruption curve. Other data points include the following:
1. The blaming and stonewalling regarding the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which is going to be both Obama’s Katrina and Watergate.
2. Rescinding of the military “don’t ask don’t tell” policy, which is a political payoff.
3. North Korea about to cause an all-out war against South Korea, which will draw the U.S. into the fight.
4. Obama dissing the military by going on vacation in Chicago instead of being in Washington for the Memorial Day activities.
5. The Obama administrations anti-Arizona stance for Arizona doing the job the Federal Government won’t do, and they didn’t even read the Arizona Immigration Law before making their outlandish accusations!
6. Obama dissing of Israel and Netanyahu on his last visit to the White House.
7. Obama’s shady and shadowy past and his attempt to keep everything covered.
8. Obama’s anti-Christian stance and pro-Islamic stance.
9. Obama’s use of multiple SSNs in his life and having his current SSN from Connecticut instead of from Hawaii–his supposed home state.
10. Obama’s downplaying of the GWOT and causing increased terrorist attacks on the United States homeland.
I can go on and on and come up with hundreds of datapoints to confirm the corruption curve, which only confirms Michelle Malkin’s theme of “Culture of Corruption.”
It’s about time that some Republican Senators stood up to President Obama and told him enough is enough. It is very obvious that Sestak was “offered” something by Obama or his staff in exchange for his not running for the PA Senate seat. Given this obvious fact, if the Republican’s in Congress refuse to fight for the facts on this matter then it is one more indication that ALL of the US Congress needs to be be replaced. NO office is to be for sale in the USA – NONE! We are begining to see in IL and now PA where high offices are for sale and NOBODY seems to give a dam. I guess the same goes for our US Constitution and rule of law.
To the Republican leaders I say either get into this fight or get out of the way.
As time passes I think the liberal media will turn on Obama with a passion , I can’t think of people who are this far left , it is almost to the point of being a dictator ship here now with Obama calling all the shots and the house sits and takes it . Dissing the state of Arizona is one item and calling the people Nazi’s is another we have been insulted time and time again with no one standing up for us in the house . We will stand up and be counted in November.
Have no fear, the media will not follow up on any of this stuff. (SEIU incident and attempted Sestak bribe) and many more.
They are the lap dogs of the Obummer administration. Yeah, their making a show of it by asking a few slightly loaded questions with some weak inferences to Obummer’s dishonesty, but that is as far as it will go.
In light of Conservative talk radio and FOX News Channel’s exposing Obummer’s lies and general criminal activity, The MSM has to make make some kind of statement to maintain what little credibility they have left.
Like little brothers and sisters, the MSM and the Obummer administration will have their spats and differences, but they will always kiss and make up in the end. Radical lefties love other radical lefties, always.
I seem to recall Bush having quite a few incidents he and Dick had to “explain” away similar to this. Yet we were not outraged when Bush and his buddies did illegal stuff.
This issue isnt even at a phase where anyone besides Fox News is calling it damning (I dont listen to talk radio so I dunno what the talking heads there are saying).
Given that we dont have a good track record when it comes to accusing the President or associated people/organizations I doubt the main stream media will pick up on this until something is actually proven (And done so in a way that unlike the ACORN farce, is proven to be 100% truthful, not just cut together footage)
Someone who’s spent over $2-million in order not to show us his birthcertificate can hardly be expected to be forthcoming over the question of an impeachable offense.
Rumor has it that Rahm Emmanuel will fall on his sword for this one. He’ll claim he was misinterpreted, of course. The MSM and any questioning Dems will gladly accept that and sigh in relief. They’re only giving the issue lip service anyway.
It’s a classic coverup, but the White House has it all planned, scripted and orchestrated. They’ll parse it and play their little word games, and with the media supporting them it’s a done deal.
Look how they handled Carville for his brief excursion off the reservation. He raised all manner of hell over Obama’s do-nothing attitude about the oil spill, but within hours he had changed his tune drastically. It was all Obama’s aides and advisors who led him astray. Why if it had been left up to The One he’d have had it all fixed in a heartbeat.
“James, this is Rahm. I don’t who the #% you think you are, but we can @*^ you over until you wish you’re dead. Now you get your sorry %&@* a.. out there in front of a camera and clean up this %&*# mess you’ve made.”
This is how these people operate, and Sestak will do anything he’s told or find himself sleeping with the fishes.
Stephen,
Any hijinks committed by the Bush administration pale, in comparison to the outright lies, fraud, coersion and bribery committed by Obummer and his Chicago gangster administration. (who are running him)
I, and most others on this site have lost count of the instances where Obummer has lied, twisted, perverted and avoided taking responsibility for his actions. All of which, were to the detriment of our nation.
Obummer has sold our grandchildren into un-repayable debt and has denigrated our country to the world, which has emboldened our enemys.
Obummer is a cancer and a poison that must be excised, in order for our beloved country to begin the healing process.
This November and 2012, will be the time for that healing to start.
Steven,
Sorry for misspelling your name. I will forever miss the “Edit” feature on this site.
I thought the Clintons were good liars, but Obama makes them look like amateurs. Also — when I first heard of Obama’s Czars, I got chills. Let us all remember where the word CZar comes from — that Russians — any connection to Marxism?
Chicago Politics also have a way of leaving dead bodies, “cleverly hidden” behind as the members of Chicago Politics gain in power.
If I was Blago or Sestak, I would be very careful about what planes I get on, where I take a ride, and where my car is parked for the rest of my life.
The Clinton’s have around 40 unexplained, mysterious, or circumstantial dead people to answer for. How many does Obama have or will have shortly? The Clinton’s never came from Chicago so for Obama to achieve more disgusting behavior than the Clinton’s doesn’t surprise me.
Dave, your post suffers from an inaccuracy–your claim that Clintons “never came from Chicago”. Reality is that Shrillary was born-and-raised in Chicagoland area (I can specifically remember a reference to this in early 1993, in an edition of Chicago Tribune to which I letter-to-editor replied–on an issue quite unrelated to Clintons).
The only surprise about Dhimmicruds now is how much sooner they manage to disgust than their precedents.
It appears that Bill Clinton is the messenger by way of the White House.
I cannot see Clinton falling on his sword for Obama. Perhaps they think his expertise in word definitions will extract him from the problem.
Stonewalling is what this administration does on a daily basis. All you have to do is seek out the investigations of wrongdoing by this administration and follow how long it takes to get any result on any of these investigations at all! Just consider the investigation into the firing of Gerald Walpin former Inspector General in California! Issa and Grassley are still asking for records into the propriety of the firing because of Walprins disclosure of wrongdoing and fraud by the head of a Community organization run by one of Obama’s friends! To boot, Obama wants to replace Walpin with another friend of his. The administration even went so low as to say that Walpin did not have all of his faculties and was old, and senile! These are thugs we are talking about and nothing more!
I dunno. They do a pretty good job of staying undercover.