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New GSA Chief Is Accused of Playing Politics
With GSA Administrator Lurita Alexis Doan and up to 40 regional administrators on hand, J. Scott Jennings, the White House's deputy director of political affairs, gave a PowerPoint presentation on Jan. 26 of polling data about the 2006 elections.

When Jennings concluded his presentation to the GSA political appointees, Doan allegedly asked them how they could "help 'our candidates' in the next elections," according to a March 6 letter to Doan from Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Waxman said in the letter that one method suggested was using "targeted public events, such as the opening of federal facilities around the country."

[link|http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/25/AR2007032501048.html?nav=hcmodule|http://www.washingto...html?nav=hcmodule]
Seamus
New that should be an fireable offense
Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 51 years. meep

reach me at [link|mailto:bill.oxley@cox.net|mailto:bill.oxley@cox.net]
New Who gets fired?
Doan for letting it happen? Jennings for giving the presentation?

What about Rove, who I believe is Jennigs' boss? Did he know what was going on? If he didn't he he should be gone for performance reasons alone:)
Seamus
New Rove? Rove? I hear bells!
Too much of today's music is fashionable crap dressed as artistry.Adrian Belew
New And you start salivating?
Seamus
New I think you confuse the WH and the government
The white house has two components public policy for the executive and is the seat of the titular hrad of the governing party. Executive branch departments such as the GSA are headed by political appointees of the ruling party but are expected to work solely on behalf of the people of the united states.

To the matter at hand, the political crowd had a power point on the demographics of the election. Perfectly legitimate. The crowd is mostly political appointees and their nepotic sycophants. Nothing wrong here.

After the presentation the head of the GSA wants to use public resources to further the aims of the political will. Fireable as only congress may address the purse strings on pork.

The proper way would have been to give the presentation to congress critters, have them allocate the resources and the GSA implements in an impartial manner.
it isn't 1866 anymore.
thanx
bill
Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 51 years. meep

reach me at [link|mailto:bill.oxley@cox.net|mailto:bill.oxley@cox.net]
New I think you confuse the subject of the slide show
The presentation had slides about defending republican seats and attacking democratic seats. I don't how it is appropriate to show a slide show like that to a government employee.

The White House employees are not allowed to campaign. They have to resign to run or work on campaigns - legally.
Seamus
Expand Edited by Seamus March 28, 2007, 06:50:50 PM EDT
New the law states you cant campaign
it doesnt say run out of the room with your hands over your ears screaming lalalalalala evey time a political hack shows up. The slide show is fine, the activity of the head of the gsa a non political operative is not.
thanx,
bill
Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 51 years. meep

reach me at [link|mailto:bill.oxley@cox.net|mailto:bill.oxley@cox.net]
New What was the slide show if not an inducement to campaign?
If it was an inducement to campaign then it probably was a policial meeting and according to Hatch Act:

These federal employees may not-

* be candidates for public office in partisan elections
* campaign for or against a candidate or slate of candidates in partisan elections
* make campaign speeches
* collect contributions or sell tickets to political fund raising functions
* distribute campaign material in partisan elections
* organize or manage political rallies or meetings
...

It seems to me violation of the spirit of the Hatch Act if not the letter .
Seamus
New I will agree on your last statement, but cant prosecute
spirit. However the GSA head who asked for help in acheiving those goals broke the letter and should pay.
thanx,
bill
Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 51 years. meep

reach me at [link|mailto:bill.oxley@cox.net|mailto:bill.oxley@cox.net]
New You can't use federal property and facilities to campaign.
[link|http://www.osc.gov/ha_fed.htm|Hatch Act for Federal Employees].

Cheers,
Scott.
New What would the GSA need to know about the demographics?
The elections are the individual states' responsibilities.
Seamus
New Nail her to the wall!
Alex

When fascism comes to America, it'll be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross. -- Sinclair Lewis
New The video is hilarous
in case anyone missed it.

[link|http://www.youtube.com/v/VePqzIrR-ao| Video]
New ROFL! On to Gitmo, we'll get the truth, time for the
sans coulottes to apply the lessons of our betters! On Avant!
thanx,
bill
Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 51 years. meep

reach me at [link|mailto:bill.oxley@cox.net|mailto:bill.oxley@cox.net]
New They're replaying the hearing on C-SPAN now.
She's not credible. She "honestly" remembers nothing about the meeting, but she's positive she never saw contemporaneous e-mails about the meeting and has no idea what they were about. Her certainty makes her memory seem highly selective.

Henry Waxman was his own worst enemy in chairing the hearing. Dan Burton spent his questions talking about the FBI files in the Clinton White House. My representative, Tom Davis, was very sharp but came across as a political hack of first order. He seems to want people to believe the not listing a company on the GSA schedule is a disaster for the government. Waxman seemed out of his league in responding to Davis's comments. Very few members on the Republican side seemed to be interested in determining what happened and why. Very few of the Democratic members seemed to think about the implications of the presentation on the way the rest of the government is run. It wasn't the committee's finest hours, IMO.

It's clear to me that the meeting at GSA was a violation of the Hatch Act. It's ridiculous to argue that it was a "teaming meeting" and so forth. Refusing to answer questions about her opinion on whether the meeting was appropriate, and instead saying that she was going to let the OSC finish its investigation (as if that has any impact on her present opinion), is clearly stonewalling.

I don't know enough about the Sun contract in question, but my understanding is that once something is listed on a GSA contract, then it's very easy agencies governed by the contract to make purchases of the listed items. It's not merely a "license to hunt" as Davis put it. The whole point of GSA contracts is to make it easier and more efficient for government agencies to make purchases. Getting listed is a big deal, and the GSA shouldn't be bending over backwards to get vendors listed when there are problems with the contract - as Lurita Doan seemed to be doing.

I was impressed by Diane Watson's questions. She noted that the political presentation didn't seem to be GSA specific, so the obvious question is - how many other government agencies have received political briefings like these in violation of the Hatch Act? Will Waxman's committee continue to hold hearings like these?

My $0.02.

Cheers,
Scott.
     GSA Chief Is Accused of Playing Politics - (Seamus) - (15)
         that should be an fireable offense -NT - (boxley) - (10)
             Who gets fired? - (Seamus) - (9)
                 Rove? Rove? I hear bells! -NT - (bepatient) - (1)
                     And you start salivating? -NT - (Seamus)
                 I think you confuse the WH and the government - (boxley) - (6)
                     I think you confuse the subject of the slide show - (Seamus) - (3)
                         the law states you cant campaign - (boxley) - (2)
                             What was the slide show if not an inducement to campaign? - (Seamus) - (1)
                                 I will agree on your last statement, but cant prosecute - (boxley)
                     You can't use federal property and facilities to campaign. - (Another Scott)
                     What would the GSA need to know about the demographics? - (Seamus)
         Nail her to the wall! -NT - (a6l6e6x)
         The video is hilarous - (Simon_Jester) - (2)
             ROFL! On to Gitmo, we'll get the truth, time for the - (boxley)
             They're replaying the hearing on C-SPAN now. - (Another Scott)

Three cheers for literacy... I feel sick.
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