Exactly, and that’s why our government is so rife with crooks. Both parties do wrong, then when they’re caught, they simply point the finger and say “They do it too!”

“Both parties do wrong, then when they’re caught, they simply point the finger and say “They do it too!””

so it’s illegal to offer jobs to somebody? reagan did it. bush 41 and 43 did it. clinton did it too. hell, you can probably go back and see every POTUS has done it. it’s NOT ILLEGAL to try and make your political party run better. Obama thought Specter had a better shot at winning. He was wrong. Sestak is. But that’s ok. EVERY POTUS does this. It’s not illegal. this isn’t a story. Amazed at how lame the media can be when they are bored.

This is frikkin awesome. Not only did the dems create their very own Ollie North out of Clinton, the poor sap didn’t even do anything! You’d have to be a serious retard to buy their story.

The only reason no one will touch this is because it’s politically uncomfortable. These dirtbag politicians, both sides, they talk a good game, but when it comes down to actually doing anything, they clam up big time. Get some guy on one of the Sunday talk shows, and he’ll rant about someone from the other party, but when the host asks, “Are you calling Senator Doe a liar?” “Umm, what I’m saying is blah, blah, blah…” It’s about time to kick every one of these pussies out of office. Regarding Coulter, the left has a good time mocking her, but if any of the screwups in Washington had half her balls it’d be a refreshing change.

It seems that every outlet of the MSM has a Department of It Does Not Matter What Obama Does Because Other People Have Done It and By the Way ,You’re a Racist for Bringing It Up .

This , I’m sure , does go on in both parties. What is different ,is that most have the good sense to keep their mouths SHUT about it.
The great irony, is that Sestak, who tried to use the allegatiion to differentiate himself from Specter and smear the White House, will now find himself beholden to the White House for keeping the press at bay and the appointment of the special prosecutor from occuring.
My prediction for Sestaks career ; Rubber stamp .

Commentators largely have focused on the criminal statute making it illegal to offer a federal position or appointment — paid or unpaid — to someone to get them to participate in political activity. Rightly so. The statute, 18 U.S.C. 600, would certainly cover an offer of an appointment to an unpaid position on a presidential commission as a reward for abandoning one’s candidacy for the benefit of a political party. White House Counsel Robert Bauer’s defense of the Sestak job offer was devoid of analysis and did nothing to negate the elements of this offense. The facts that former president Bill Clinton made the offer and that it was for an unpaid position don’t matter: The statute makes it illegal to offer a federal appointment, “directly or indirectly”; moreover, as a general principle, a person cannot employ an agent to do that which he may not do himself.

If Guilfoyle is really so concerned about ethics in politics, how come she keeps overlooking Ann Coulter’s alleged voter fraud? In this discussion, Juan Williams pointed out that even Bush’s AG, Michael Mukasey, has said it’s “highly questionable whether there was a crime.” Yet while Guilfoyle follows the GOP line of pouncing on this non-issue as some kind of important breach of ethics, she ignores allegations of a real crime allegedly committed by holier-than-thou pundit Ann Coulter, right there on the set.

http://www.newshounds.us/2009/01/11/ann_coulter_faces_new_voter_fraud_allegations.php

http://www.newshounds.us/2010/05/29/sean_hannity_still_doing_his_best_to_turn_sestak_into_watergate_2.php

Ellen, whatever you think of Coulter, citing “Newshounds” as a source doesn’t bolster credibility.

Newshounds?? Hahahahahaha!!! What a moron.

Poor Ellen, Coulter never committed any voter fraud. Keep dreaming. Trumped up allegations don’t work.

Coulter does make a good point. Nobody wants to know how the sausage gets made as long as they can have hot dogs.

IMO, Stesak seems to be in the clear; he was just put in an untenable position. He said that “something” happened and let the chips fall where they ended up falling. The Prez has plausible deniability; the other Prez scored some good political points with the White House for taking the hit and someone somewhere will eventually be censored or fired for allowing this “behind the scenes” look at political machinations to be viewed out in the open.

And then, business will continue as before…on both sides.

@lazzzlo…Coulter does make a good point, HOWEVER, nobody wants to know how the sausage gets made as long as they can have hot dogs.

Ooops! Forgot that key word….”However”.

forget ann coulter (ugh). Is Juan Williams like the biggest NEBISH on these shows? – a joke.

Ah! I see Ann Coulter is still a very sad individual, let’s hope she gets the heart transplant she needs.

It was a NON-PAYING position!!!! Really, anyone playing politics the way it was meant to be played would have offered a job with a big bucks salary!! This is NOTHING!!!

I could say that Coulter may have a point, but her “proof” could easily be discounted because Sestak didn’t stick with his relatively safe House seat, instead he decided to go for a much more time-consuming run for statewide election and if the White House story is to be believed, he basically turned down the job by not asking for an appointment.

Otherwise, what I seem to be seeing is perhaps the first battle between the Tea Pary/FNC/verbal bomb-throwing wing of the Republican Party and the more traditional, country club, “American Crossroads”, DLC-like parts which remain.

Clearly, the Republican establishment doesn’t want to ride this horse because not only does it look like an exercise in futility, it has the potential to open a whole can of worms that could ricochet back onto the Bush/Cheney establishment. After all, there may be the minute potential for something to come from this one investigation, but who knows what happened over the previous eight years.

Ya just gotta love how these things play out. ‘It’s okay that Obama is a lying rectum, because Bush sucks’!

‘Ah! I see Ann Coulter is still a very sad individual, let’s hope she gets the heart transplant she needs’

bwhaaah hey reallydumb lets hope u get the BRAIN transplant YOU need…..and don’t pick a chicken’s brain like u did the last time ….jeeees us…WHAT WAD….

@lanquihue: That’s not what I’m saying – I meant that the ‘establishment’ would prefer to protect their own, rather than tilt at windmills over a questionable event that may or may not result in charges and would certainly not lead to an impeachable offense.

Again, let’s say that there is some kind of smoking gun somewhere and let’s pretend that the previous administration or the prior Congress didn’t trade something at some time – What’s the outcome? Rahm Emmanuel pays a fine? Is it worth the political risk of opening a can of worms, rebirthing the use of independent counsels and ignoring everyone from both parties that could get caught in the wake?

JEES i didn’t think the great Roger Ailes could come up with a bigger dunce than A. colmes…but im damned if he didn’t outdo himeself when he brought ole JUAN WILLIAMS onboard…………good god roger must have opened the DUMBTOWN YELLOWPAGES and looked under ‘owner, ‘AINT GOT A CLUE SHOPPE’ and out popped juan’s mug……

i watch the fox segments he’s on for comic relief…..the looks on the faces of heavyweights like

KRAUTHAMMER, KRYSTOL & BARNES when Juan spouts his clumsy inanities..are priceless….they are only matched
by the ‘deer in the headlights looks on Juan’s face when they verbally nail him to the barn door…….i’ll bet when the cameras are turned off those three put their heads in both hands and laugh like hell….i know i do…..

@magister..”.I could say that Coulter may have a point, but her “proof” could easily be discounted because Sestak didn’t stick with his relatively safe House seat, instead he decided to go for a much more time-consuming run for statewide election and if the White House story is to be believed, he basically turned down the job by not asking for an appointment.”

I have no argument with that statement. However, the reality does seem to be a bit more intricate than that statement.

Bottom line is probably, no harm no foul…however, it does ooze of poorly played, back-door politics.

I am not buying the excuse that Sestak was not offered the Secretary of Navy job because Obama appointed Mabus.

Three men, including Mabus, have already served under Obama as Secretary of Navy. All but 6 in the history of Sec of Navy have served for one or two years, some as little as a week or two.

There is no reason to think that Obama didn’t offer Sestak the Sec. of Navy job in a year or so. The appointment of Mabus is irrelevant, as far as “proof” that the job was not offered to Sestak.

Also, the memo states that efforts were made in June AND July 2009 towards Sestak. Sorry, I know Bill Clinton talks a long time, but not for two months. What efforts were being made over a two month period?

And Coulter is CORRECT. Everyone does it didn’t fly when we were kids, and it doesn’t fly now. Especially from Mr. hopey changey.

It seems that the story could/should be about Emmanuel. But apparently everyone, outside of Magister, is sidetracked by the typical partisan bickering. Tisk tisk.

why should this story just be about Emanuel? Do you really think Rahm just got the crazy idea on his own, with no input from Obama, and that Obama had no idea? Even with the enlistment of Clinton? Obama had no idea this was going on?

I want this kind of crap to stop on both sides. I am sick and tired of all the idiots and liars serving in the government. They are running around lying about affairs, military service, costs, debt, illegal job offers…everything. If the WH is influencing someone who might be a better candidate to drop out of the race, I want this crap to stop.

@sarainitaly: At most, if charges were sought and if the case seems to be going against the White House, one would expect Emmanuel or Clinton to fall on their swords, especially since the most likely scenario, if the President is somehow directly involved is that he may have said to Emmanuel; “Let’s see if there’s something we can do”.

@Magister

If you are transparent, then as a leader…someone has to fall on the sword.

The simple point being, who authorizes that move?

Or does Gibbs keep on glossing over the fact?

Move on…there is no story here, I won’t comment upon what I have previously comented on.

In a private business, and I understand governmental rule is public, you are held to your shareholders.

This irritates me off all the way…Republican or Democrat. The attitude is that they can get away with treating their constituents as the lowest common denominator and everything is OK as long as I tell you it is.

That just doesn’t fly.

From: http://mediamatters.org/research/201005260026:

“Legal experts reject Fox’s allegation that Sestak was ‘bribed’

“Fox News has seized on false allegations that the White House “bribed” Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) with an administration job in exchange for staying out of a Senate race and claimed it would amount to an “illegal” and possibly “an impeachable offense.” In fact, legal experts have rejected the claims that such offers are a bribe or illegal. . . . ”

The article includes quotes from numerous legal eagles from across the political spectrum. I’m sure the neocons HERE will promptly “throw overboard” the neocons mentioned THERE.
—

http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201005310002:

“Fox’s MacCallum pushes hard for “special prosecutor” into discredited claim that White House “bribed” Sestak

“Defense attorney Keith Sullivan: “I neither voted for this administration, nor am I a proponent of theirs, but what they did is not illegal under the statute”
—

http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201005300010:

George Will on Sestak issue: “Politics is a transactional business … There’s nothing wrong with it”
—

“Coulter never committed any voter fraud. ”

ACORN didn’t – and look what was done to them. They REPORTED people trying to register to vote using names like “Donald Duck,” or whatever. Reich-wingers (like Coulter) turned these honest efforts against them, effectively demolishing a threadbare organization whose main purpose was to help lower-class people buy homes (thus competing with the Repubs bankster pals). Helping people was their only real “crime.”

“if any of the screwups in Washington had half [Coulter's] balls it’d be a refreshing change.”

There may be more truth to that comment than you may care to contemplate.

“Sestak, who tried to use the allegatiion [sic] to differentiate himself from Specter and smear the White House”

He was asked a question and answered it truthfully – only to be bashed by the righties for doing so. If he’d lied and the offer became known, he’d STILL get grief from the right (and left, frankly).

He had no reason to lie. “Benedict Arlen” was already putting his foot in his mouth, and “smearing(?)” the White House would only work against him; he’d need WH support in the fall after winning the primary.

“Neo-con men” seem quick to assign ulterior motives to others. If they can’t FIND a crime, they’ll make one up. It’s indicative of the inherent paranoia of the extreme right.

Repub’s

jrcmi says:
June 1, 2010 at 2:36 am
From: http://mediamatters.org/research/201005260026:

“Legal experts reject Fox’s allegation that Sestak was ‘bribed’

That’s all cute and all, coming from MM, but the allegations come from Sestak. Sestak, a Democrat, said repeatedly that the WH offered him a senior level job to not run against Specter. You can’t blame this on FOX.

“That’s all cute and all, coming from MM,”

No, it comes from the people and sources QUOTED by MM, coming from a wide spectrum of views. There’s nothing “cute” about it.

It’s not illegal to be offered a job – especially a non-paying one. It’s not illegal to OFFER a job – especially a non-paying one.

Sestak told the truth and is being bashed for it by the right.

you might want to check your facts on that, sparky.

it is illegal for them to offer a job to someone to keep them out of a race. it is illegal for Sestak, if a crime was committed, to not report it. Do your homework.

“you might want to check your facts on that, sparky. ”

What the hell do you THINK I’ve been doing . . dimbulb?

Not only have I “checked” my facts, I’ve SHARED them . . . like ‘em or not.

MediaMatters.org has been consistently reliable and accurate in its reportage. They don’t just spew talking points like the righties at the Cato Institute and the American Enterprise Institute – or make up “facts” to suit their purposes. MM provides source links and contextual transcripts. Feel free to “check” them (or disprove them) yourself. I have often followed their links and found them correct.

“it is illegal for them to offer a job to someone to keep them out of a race. ”

It’s illegal to SELL a job offer. The Republicants can’t claim this happened because, well, it didn’t happen – although they may still try.

“it is illegal for Sestak, if a crime was committed, to not report it. ”

He didn’t because there wasn’t. Not only is he criticized for telling the truth – now he’s criticized for NOT reporting a NON-crime.

Why not go peel an onion and leave him alone?

“Do your homework.”

Speaking of which, did YOU actually READ/WATCH the MM articles you disparaged? Legal minds from many backgrounds agree that, to quote Gloria Swanson, “There’s no ‘there’ there.”

I’m sorry for the “dimbulb” crack, but too many people on the right seem to suffer from “aggressive ignorance” – fearful that a disagreeable fact will shatter their fragile, preconceived notions. Our own gordonbloyersham admitted to loving George Will to itty-bitty pieces . . . UNTIL Georgie correctly called out the Republicants for their “preposterous” efforts to make a mountain out of this barely-a-molehill.

While some on the left are just as doctrinaire, the trait appears to be far more common on the right.

Sestak is being bashed by the right for telling the truth.