TPM: Even CREW Says Sestak's Claim Of Job Offer Is No Scandal

[SemiCharmedQuark]

Republicans have been launching a full-court press to trumpet the claim by Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) that the White House offered him a job in exchange for dropping out of the Democratic primary race for the U.S. Senate, in an effort to clear the field for its favored candidate, Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA). One GOP lawmaker has called for a criminal probe, alleging possible illegal conduct. But several experts tell TPMmuckraker this is much ado about nothing.

...

"People horse trade politically all the time," Stan Brand, a prominent Washington criminal defense lawyer told TPMmuckraker. "So I don't put much stock in this, and I don't think its gonna go anywhere."

Even those who used to prosecute public corruption cases agree. "Talk about criminalizing the political process!" said Peter Zeidenberg, a former federal prosecutor with the Justice Department's Public Integrity unit. "It would be horrible precedent if what really truly is political horsetrading were viewed in the criminal context of: is this a corrupt bribe?"

And Melanie Sloan, a former federal prosecutor who as the head of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington isn't known for going on easy public corruption, concurred. "There is no bribery case here," she said. "No statute has ever been used to prosecute anybody for bribery in circumstances like this."

Sloan added that Issa's move was more about politics. "It's not at all about whether there was actual criminal wrongdoing," she said. "It's about how to go after Sestak."

Edited to add Link:

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/05/even_crew_says_sestaks_claim_of_job_offer_is_no_sc.php?ref=fpa

[LLStarks]

1. If Sestak was indeed offered the job, would be it criminal or just poor ethics? nt

[SemiCharmedQuark]

2. It would be politics

So the latter.

[rocktivity]

3. It would be criminal only if:

• Obama offered Sestak money to get out of the race
  
  
• Obama offered Sestak a high-paying, do-nothing, no-show job to get out of the race
  
  
• Obama offered not to publish embarrassing pictures of Sestak if he got out the race
  
  
• Obama offered him a job in return for Sestak using his authority or influence to get someone else a job
  

As long as he was actually qualified for it, Obama's offering Sestak a job in hopes of making it easier for Specter to win the race is neither a crime nor an ethics breach because the Senator's seat wasn't his, Specter's, or Sestak's to sell. Obama may have profited POLITICALLY if Sestak had taken the job, but that's not illegal yet!

:headbang:
rocktivity