Politics served up at a brown-bag lunch
~snip~ The Democrat-controlled House is investigating whether Doan violated the Hatch Act for a meeting she hosted at the GSA on Jan. 26. ~snip~ At least two GSA officials have told investigators under oath that Doan asked Jennings: "How can we use GSA to help our candidates in the next election?" ~snip~ Doan, in testimony to the House Committee on Government Oversight and Reform, characterized the session as a "team-building" meeting. ~snip~
If the session had no political purpose, why did a White House employee send advance material to Doan's office using a Republican National Committee e-mail address, and warn the GSA, "Please do not e-mail this out or let people see it"?
If this meeting wasn't a violation of the Hatch Act, it's hard to imagine what would be. Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D., Calif.) has given Rove until April 13 to answer several questions, among them: Did Rove approve of the slide show? Has the White House political shop given this presentation to any other federal employees during business hours on government property?
They are excellent questions, and deserve prompt answers. The days when Bush White House operatives could simply refuse to answer any questions they didn't feel like answering should be over.
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/20070406_Editorial___Karl_Rove_and_the_GSA.html