In the latest chapter of the 'Did the Obama Administration Try To Bribe Joe Sestak?' story, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele has called on the Justice Department to investigate. In a letter to the Attorney General, Mr. Steele calls for an immediate investigation so that voters "can have full confidence that our elections are not tampered with and that those in the highest positions of power do not for political purposes abuse the office with which they are entrusted."

Continued...

A brief summary of the story so far: In February, Mr. Sestak appeared on a Philadelphia news program and said that the Obama administration had offered him a high-ranking federal job if he would drop his primary challenge to Senator Arlen Specter (D-Pennsylvania). Mr. Sestak said that he refused the offer and he then went on to defeat Senator Specter for the Democratic Party's nomination. In May the administration finally responded to questions regarding what President Obama dubbed "the Sestak issue." A memorandum released by White House Counsel Robert F. Bauer claimed the job offer wasn't an offer of a real job but rather a non-paid advisory position and that it was former President Bill Clinton who made the offer not an official member of the Obama administration. In other words, no law was broken and if one was it was Bill Clinton's fault. Mr. Sestak backed up the official White House version and Mr. Clinton remained mute...until last week.

Last Tuesday while appearing at a Sestak rally, Mr. Clinton was asked why he was campaigning for a candidate he had tried to get out of the race. The former president and alleged Obama bagman claimed that he "did not," and then oddly added "I wasn't even accused of that." (source) While there has been no official response from the White House, Mr. Clinton or Mr. Sestak with regard to the obvious discrepancy in their stories; Mr. Steele has responded with the following letter to the US Attorney General:

Dear Attorney General Holder,

Over the past months we have heard several different versions of whether or not Congressman Joe Sestak was offered a federal job or appointment if he were to forego his campaign for the United States Senate.

Beginning in February of this year, Congressman Sestak, while refusing to go into any specifics, has repeatedly claimed he was offered a high-level position in the current Administration were he to end his campaign for the United States Senate.

A May 28 report by the White House Counsel Robert F. Bauer confirmed that former President Bill Clinton approached Congressman Sestak to discuss positions within the Administration should Sestak end his campaign.

Yet, just last week at a campaign event in Scranton, Pennsylvania, President Clinton said he never approached Sestak. His comments directly contradict the White House Counsel's report.

The offering of any federal position for political purposes raises questions of criminal law and goes against the foundations of our government and its integrity. The American people have a right to know if any such offer was made and by who. It has become clear that the only way to get to the bottom of this if for the Department of Justice to begin a formal investigation. I call on you to begin such an investigation immediately so that the voters of Pennsylvania, and voters throughout the nation, can have full confidence that our elections are not tampered with and that those in the highest positions of power do not for political purposes abuse the office with which they are entrusted.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Michael Steele
(source)

It is doubtful that Mr. Holder will respond to the request, at least not before the upcoming mid-term elections. But according to the latest poll, Mr. Sestak is trailing Republican Pat Toomey by 9 points (45%-36%) so maybe the voters of Pennsylvania have already figured things out for themselves.