Obama Citizenship

The Sestak Scandal: Story Number 1 Begins Failing

By Phil

H. Rumph Jr./Associated Press: President Bill Clinton with Joe Sestak, and his wife, Susan, in 2006, when Mr. Sestak was running for the House of Representatives.

What’s the first sign that someone’s recollection isn’t the truth? The facts don’t line up.

You knew it had to happen.

Byron York over at the WashingtonExaminer found a very juicy tid-bit of this quickly-developing saga that was located — of all places — in The New York Times: Sestak was ineligible for job Clinton offered (excerpted):

In a little-noticed passage Friday, the New York Times reported that Rep. Joe Sestak was not eligible for a place on the President?s Intelligence Advisory Board, the job he was reportedly offered by former President Bill Clinton.  And indeed a look at the Board?s website reveals this restriction:

The Board consists of not more than 16 members appointed by the President from among individuals who are not employed by the Federal Government. Members are distinguished citizens selected from the national security, political, academic, and private sectors.

As a sitting member of Congress, Sestak was not eligible for the job.  And since the White House intended for Sestak to remain in his House seat, he would not have been eligible for the board after this November?s elections, provided he was re-elected to the House.

The statement from White House counsel Robert Bauer did not specifically mention the intelligence board, but speaking to reporters Friday, Sestak said of his conversation with Clinton, ?At the time, I heard the words ?presidential board,? and that?s all I heard?I heard ?presidential board,? and I think it was intel.? In addition, the Times reported that ?people briefed on the matter said one option was an appointment? to the intelligence board. But the White House could not legally have placed Sestak on the board.

The same story had been updated to report Rep. Issa’s (GOP) response.

Once again, HotAir makes the appropriate analysis/asks the right questions (emphases original):

If that was indeed the offer, then Sestak would have had to withdraw from his House race as well ? leaving him without any income.  How exactly would that have convinced Sestak to leave the race?  It sounds more like a threat than a warning. We?ll appoint you to this board unless you play ball!

This looks more like an ex post facto attempt to shoehorn the known facts into any kind of exonerating framework than the truth.  And the ambiguous statements surrounding this release also sound like an attempt to leave as much wiggle room as possible.  Oh, we didn?t mean the Intel Board, a rebuttal will almost certainly insist. We had a number of options in mind for Rep. Sestak.  The intel board was just a brainstorming suggestion.

But that would mean we would have to believe that the White House believed that Sestak would leave the race for some ambiguous promise of an unpaid position on a board without any specifics on what he?d be doing or the influence he would have on policy.  Maybe Sestak isn?t the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree, but why would anyone sentient enough to get himself elected to Congress in the first place even entertain such an offer as a serious proposal?  Nor is that what Sestak consistently alleged over the last few months; he said that the Obama administration had offered him a job, something specific.

Even better question:

Bill Clinton is still very bitter that Barack Obama beat his wife Hillary Photo: AP

If back in January of 2008 former President Bill Clinton said that Obama must “kiss my ass” for any support from the former President, why is Bubba helping Barry out now?

Promises, promises…

See the Impeachment category for general background on this story.

-Phil

Email: phil [at] therightsideoflife [dot] com

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Full post as published by The Right Side of Life on May 29, 2010 (boomark / email).