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Sestak Job Offer Likely Benign, But Questions Remain for White House

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ISSA is making a career of accusing others so no one looks at HIM: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/06/25/ISSA.TMP

sfrose of CA 5:41PM May 28, 2010

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/06/25/ISSA.TMP

sfrose of CA 5:40PM May 28, 2010

Comparing this to rolling through a stop sign is the classic apples to oranges argument.
Totally different situation, totally different penalty.
Comments (like below) that ARE apples to oranges arguments are fallacious, and therefore, of no real substance.

Ray of CA 5:36PM May 28, 2010

I have a misdemeanor too. Rolled through a stop sign. Maybe we can send Rahm to traffic school.

sctrojan90 of CA 5:25PM May 28, 2010

Democrats will rush to defend the administration with calming words that nothing illegal transpired. Republicans will rush to attack the administration with vitriol that used to be reserved for ChiComms. The only thing different this time is that the media will ignore this episode with not even a mention by Couric and her counterparts at ABC, CBS and CNN. The watchdogs have decided that President Obama is their guy and there will be no mention of any possible violations of law. They have abandoned their passion for investigating. Probably used all that passion when Bush was President.

Nick Costalas of MD 5:12PM May 28, 2010

Indeed, why would anyone want an unpaid job when they can be a U.S. Senator.
Regardless, ANY offer, compensated or not, that has ANY intrinsic value and is offered either directly OR indirectly, would seem to constitute a misdemeanor on the part of the White House here, according to what I have read.
The Obama administration has created a burden upon itself by its actions. To help relieve them of this burden, a non-partisan, independent investigation (carried to the fullest) is needed now to see if the Obama administration's act does constitute a misdemeanor on their part... or not.
The seriousness of all of this requires further investigation.
And the Obama administration cannot probe itself, that is, if they want any hint of impropriety removed.
We must not let ourselves get distracted by talking about the actions of past administrations (be they Dem or Repub). Obama is president now, and what matters is now.
Our elected officials were put there by us to do the aforementioned. And they can do the aforementioned, while also concentrating on jobs and the economy.
They can work on jobs and the economy while getting a full, non-partisan, independent investigation of the Obama adminsitration on this going. Like the old saying goes, they can walk and talk at the same time.

Ray of CA 4:44PM May 28, 2010

It seems to me that by waiting so ling to come out with this "story" the White House makes things even more suspect. Now we're even blaming a former President. Why would anyone take an UNPAID position on a board when they have a very good chance of becoming a US Senator. I think the fish is beginning to stink here.

Ralph Butler of NY 4:11PM May 28, 2010

Once upon a time, America was a shining beacon of economic prosperity and social advancement. This was because we were blessed by far seeing leaders. From the time of the founding fathers (Jefferson, Madison, Hamilton, etc.) to the present, America has been blessed by great statesmen.
Except now. For some reason, these past 10 years, we seem to have a paucity of statesmen leading our country--at a time when America really needs visionary leaders pulling together for the sake of the country.
Right now, America--indeed, the world--is beset by problems: world recession with governments collapsing under the weight of unmanageable debt, domestic high unemployment, American state and municipal governments collapsing from insufficient tax revenue, escalating wars overseas, etc.
So what do our leaders do--especially our Republican leaders? They worry about the sex lives of their colleagues (as well as make their own subjects of concern) and whether--through tortuous reasoning--Joe Sestak could be construed to have been offered a bribe. We all know what bribes look like. Clearly what happened with Sestak was old fashioned politics.
So it is no surprise that the Ranking Republican, Congressmen Issa, has declared that he is going to get to the bottom of this. And we have a bunch of Republican Senators pressing Holder to investigate.

steve wang of PA 3:07PM May 28, 2010

People go to prison daily for violating the "letter" of the law, regardless of the "spirit", that's why the put laws in writing so people know what the "letter" of the law is. Point is that even if what they claim now is true- and I have serious questions about it-they offered him something of value (connections, prestige of the position, collecting an IOU that he can call when he needs it, etc.)= violation of the statute. it's that simple. period.

steve.kramer of CA 2:59PM May 28, 2010

WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!
You are making excuses for what was a clear violation of the SPIRIT of the law.It is exactly this kind of top down manipulation of elections that this law was created for. Business as usual in Washington is NOT an excuse. An independent investigator should be appointed. Remember this is the White House's defense attorney's version!

steven lohrentz of CO 2:58PM May 28, 2010