Issa, Smith and Judiciary Republicans Call for FBI Investigation in Sestak Scandal VIDEO

WASHINGTON, D.C.— House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ranking Member Darrell Issa (R-CA), Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas), and Republican members of the House Judiciary Committee today sent a letter to FBI Director Robert Mueller urging that the FBI immediately initiate an investigation into allegations that White House officials bribed Representative Joe Sestak with promises of a senior Administration position in exchange for his withdrawal from the Pennsylvania Senate primary.

In a report released today, the White House made no effort to deny that former President Bill Clinton questioned Rep. Sestak about a position at the urging of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.

Federal law prohibits the solicitation of certain public offices, promising government employment in exchange for political activity, and improper interference by Administration employees in political campaigns. Not surprisingly, the White House’s own report clears White House officials of wrongdoing.

“Assurances by the Obama White House that no laws were broken are like the Nixon White House promising it did nothing illegal in connection with Watergate. Clearly, an independent investigation is necessary to determine once and for all what really happened.

“Because of the alleged involvement of high ranking Administration officials, any investigation into criminal activity by the White House should be spearheaded by the FBI. Admissions that the White House intentionally sought to manipulate the outcome of a Democratic Senate Primary strike at the heart of our democracy. Only a full criminal investigation can restore integrity to our election process.

Judiciary Committee Republicans also expressed concern about the apparent coordination between involved parties before the issuance of the White House report.

“We are equally concerned about steps taken by the White House leading up to the issuance of today’s report, including a meeting between former President Clinton and President Obama and reports that Rep. Sestak’s brother (and campaign manager) was consulted on the drafting of the White House report. The apparent collusion between parties involved may constitute obstruction of justice.”

Judiciary Republicans requested that the FBI respond no later than June 11, 2010. ###

Memorandum from White House Counsel Regarding the Review of Discussions Relating to Congressman Sestak

MEMORANDUM FROM ROBERT F. BAUER, WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL SUBJECT: Review of Discussions Relating to Congressman Sestak Recent press reports have reflected questions and speculation about discussions between White House staff and Congressman Joe Sestak in relation to his plans to run for the United States Senate. Our office has reviewed those discussions and claims made about them, focusing in particular on the suggestion that government positions may have been improperly offered to the Congressman to dissuade him from pursuing a Senate candidacy.

We have concluded that allegations of improper conduct rest on factual errors and lack a basis in the law.

Secretary of the Navy. It has been suggested that the Administration may have offered Congressman Sestak the position of Secretary of the Navy in the hope that he would accept the offer and abandon a Senate candidacy. This is false. The President announced his intent to nominate Ray Mabus to be Secretary of the Navy on March 26,2009, over a month before Senator Specter announced that he was becoming a member of the Democratic Party in late April. Mabus was confirmed in May. At no time was Congressman Sestak offered, nor did he seek, the position of Secretary of the Navy.

Uncompensated Advisory Board Options. We found that, as the Congressman has publicly and accurately stated, options for Executive Branch service were raised with him. Efforts were made in June and July of 2009 to determine whether Congressman Sestak would be interested in service on a Presidential or other Senior Executive Branch Advisory Board, which would avoid a divisive Senate primary, allow him to retain his seat in the House, and provide him with an opportunity for additional service to the public in a high-level advisory capacity for which he was highly qualified. The advisory positions discussed with Congressman Sestak, while important to the work of the Administration, would have been uncompensated.

White House staff did not discuss these options with Congressman Sestak. The White House Chief of Staff enlisted the support of former President Clinton who agreed to raise with Congressman Sestak options of service on a Presidential or other Senior Executive Branch Advisory Board. Congressman Sestak declined the suggested alternatives, remaining committed to his Senate candidacy.

Relationship to Senate Campaign. It has been suggested that discussions of alternatives to the Senate campaign were improperly raised with the Congressman. There was no such impropriety. The Democratic Party leadership had a legitimate interest in averting a divisive primary fight and a similarly legitimate concern about the Congressman vacating his seat in the House. By virtue of his career in public service, including distinguished military service, Congressman Sestak was viewed to be highly qualified to hold a range of advisory positions in which he could, while holding his House seat, have additional responsibilities of considerable potential interest to him and value to the Executive Branch.

There have been numerous, reported instances in the past when prior Administrations -- both Democratic and Republican, and motivated by the same goals -- discussed alternative paths to service for qualified individuals also considering campaigns for public office. Such discussions are fully consistent with the relevant law and ethical requirements.

The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release May 28, 2010