Sestak has been pretty clear about this and has said many times on different programs he was offered a job by the White House if he wouldn't run against Specter. That seems like it might be against the law if totally true. So what is the story? So far Obama isn't talking which of course keeps the story in the news. Should Obama step up and come clean on what exactly he said to Sestak? Here is a Dem Rep's take on it on MSNBCThe Link
obama personally didnt offer sestak anything. if anybody did, it was rham or axelrod or somebody like that. this administration is giveaway central. im 100% positive he was offerd a job. the question is who did it. will anything come of it, no.
Im just messing with you. I dont care who you work for. I dont see any problem with the article at all. Typical political deal
93 "Typical political deal" There is what I don't know. It seems like it would be against the law for an Administration of offer a bribe like that. What benefit it is to Sestakt to repeatedly say he was offered a Wh job if he would not run against Specter?
this is nothing, id be willing to bet that many members of congress were offered jobs if they lose their election bid in 2010 for voting for the health bill.
Here is one Judge's opinion According to Judge Andrew Napolitano with FOX News: “Federal law makes it a felony to offer ‘anything of value’ to an official of the government in return for a decision in your favor by that official of the government; it is called bribery.” I don't see Rep issa backing down from calling for an investigation and as long as Sestak keeps repeating that he was offered a job by the WH to drop out of running against Specter this won't go away.
I am sure he was offered a job or position, I do not think someone said you would get this job if you don't run, I think it was implied. He chose to run, Obama supported Spector. Just my thoughts.......
there are several reports from Feb where Sestak said directly he was offered a job if he'd quit the race against specterThe Link and from a Feb Larry Kane blogThe Link "During the taping of my Comcast Network Voice of Reason show, which airs Sunday night at 9:30, I asked Congressman Joe Sestak: “Is it true that you were offered a high ranking job in the administration in a bid to get you to drop out of the primary against Arlen Specter?” Sestak looked a little surprised. He said, “Yes.” I asked him if the job was Navy Secretary. He said, “I can’t comment on that.” In the next few seconds, he admitted that it was a “high up’ job, that it came from the White House, and that he didn’t accept the offering. He proceeded to say that nothing will stop him from completing the race against Specter for the Democratic nomination. Was I surprised? A little. After all, I was just probing" end of quote so who is lying?
sat "If he was offered a job, so what? Doing so what not a crime." the why is the white house stonewalling?
Husker clearly in your haste to post that this is all GOP and Fox driven you didn't read the link. Guess what it wasn't Fox or a GOp pol saying the WH should come clean. It was a Dem pol on MSNBC
rv Here is one Judge's opinion , yes a Fox Judge but a Judge nonetheless so far it is only an opinion According to Judge Andrew Napolitano with FOX News: “Federal law makes it a felony to offer ‘anything of value’ to an official of the government in return for a decision in your favor by that official of the government; it is called bribery.” I don't see Rep issa backing down from calling for an investigation and as long as Sestak keeps repeating that he was offered a job by the WH to drop out of running against Specter this won't go away.
Husker' yes I did post Judge napolitano's of Fox's quote but as I said it isn't ALL Fox, see that I said it was not all Fox and the OP included an MSNBC interview with a DEM pol who said the WH should come clean now, figure out a way to weasel around that the OP referenced MSNBC and a DEM pol and try to paint it as only Fox or only GOP
Horn: If you read your links there are no direct quotes, as I said it sounds to me like it was an implied offer. The offer according to your links was here is a job for the next few years. Sestak says he rejected the job because he wanted to be a Senator. It was an implied offer......unless you have the name and the exact phrasing of the questioins it would be an implied offer. Tit for tat.
Horn 6721 & Spring, I'm not sure the laws quoted apply to this. They seem to apply to interference with the elective process or bribery to receive some benefit from an office holder. The judge's opinion seems to be quite a stretch. This all sounds like cynically generated hysteria over a practice not uncommon in politics and almost certainly not illegal. That said, I've got no problem with someone investigating the activity. I do have a problem with people cynically rushing to judgment to score political points, but that is just the way it is these days.
I'll start off by saying I have no idea whether a law was broken here or not...... I do find it interesting that 2 prominent conservative talking heads, Geoge Will and Charles Krauthammer, seem to think this is "much ado about nothing". However, there's at least a little smoke here and the WH comms director (Gibbs) has been unconvincing in his comments to date. His ineptness is making this smell a lot worse then it probably is.
18 US Code (sec. 211) -- BRIBERY, GRAFT, CONFLICT OF INTEREST WHOSOEVER SOLICITS OR RECEIVES ANYTHING OF VALUE, IN CONSIDERATION OF THE PROMISE OF SUPPORT OR USE OF INFLUENCE IN OBTAINING FOR ANY PERSON ANY APPOINTMENT, OFFICE, OR PLACE IN THE UNITED STATES, SHALL BE FINED UNDER THIS TITLE, IMPRISONED NOT MORE THAN ONE YEAR, OR BOTH.
rv when you ask "who solicited" do you mean the name of the person in the Obama Admin who approached Sestak? Or are you asking if a solicitation happened? I find it hard to believe any Admin would be so careless as to actually offer a job in exchange for dropping out of an election but I also find it hard to understand why Sestak sticks to his story that he was offered a job from the WH to drop out of the race so Specter could win. I can't see this distraction helping Sestak's campaign and now you have other Dems calling for disclosure. edit: To point out that now the WH is calling a Naval Academy graduate, a current Dem member of the House and a Dem Senatorial candidate a LIAR. Axelrod says the WH looked into the allegation and find no evidence of such a thing. Interesting. I guess it will be his word against all of the WH
