Joe Sestak lets loose GOP impeachment fantasies
U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak, the underdog who beat Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania’s Democratic Senate primary, says he turned down a nice job offer by the Obama administration that would have kept him from challenging Specter.
That news has Washington Republicans all up in arms, outraged at such blatantly criminal and unethical behavior at the highest levels of American government.
Well. Kinda sorta. They are at least going through the motions of pretending to believe it’s an outrage, including calling for appointment of a special prosecutor and uttering that magic word they do love so well: “Impeachable.”
It just sounds so juicy and full of promise, doesn’t it? “Impeachable.” Certain mouths begin to water at the prospect.
But it’s laughable, and Republicans in Washington know it. You can see it in their body language and hear it in their voices, even as they profess to be appalled. These are people who can look the camera in the eye and tell you with a straight face that the sun will rise in the West tomorrow, but even they can’t work up much feigned anger at this.
Nor can the experts. Listen to Melanie Sloan, the head of CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics):
“There has never been a prosecution based on such facts and I find it impossible to believe there would be. I think this is really just politics as usual. Parties routinely do what they can to clear the field for preferred candidates.”
Listen to Richard Painter, chief ethics officer under the last President Bush, who says this “is nothing new and it hardly rises to the level of a major ethics controversy”:
Congress gives us plenty of genuine ethics concerns to worry about – particularly the role of campaign contributions which are de facto “bribes” (watch carefully what happens to the banking reform bill when it goes to House-Senate conference). Voters should not be distracted by media generated sideshows having little to do with what goes on in Washington.
Listen to Peter Zeidenberg, a former federal prosecutor with the Justice Department’s Public Integrity unit:
“Talk about criminalizing the political process! It would be horrible precedent if what really truly is political horsetrading were viewed in the criminal context of: is this a corrupt bribe?”
On the other side, of course, are such legal giants as Dick Morris, Sean Hannity and Karl Rove (who I see described on one conservative blog as “Carl Rove, who was George Bush’s legal adviser…).
If the White House had offered Sestak a job so that he would vote a certain way on a bill, or to buy his silence about an illegal or unethical act, this would have legs. But it’s nothing like that, and Washington Republicans know it. They also know that every administration since George Washington has tried to arrange the political landscape to its liking in exactly this manner. You’ve got a lot of people with ambition and talent jostling in Washington for position, and the folks at the top, at the White House, have always tried to stage-manage the process to protect their best interests. The same is true of every governor’s office in the country and in many a mayoral office as well.
What you’re seeing is the national GOP playacting — and playacting pretty poorly, with no heart in the performance — just to get the folks back home stirred up and full of hope.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
260 comments Add your comment
Maggie
May 27th, 2010
12:52 pm
Nice thing about having Obama, our first black president, in office. Everyone else has done something similiar in the past so Obama isn’t really guilty of anything. Cool way to operate. Wish we could dig up Nixon from the grave and tell him it’s OK now. No ethics necessary. Sorry for the bum rap. No one’s going to bother Obama with anything while he’s got better things to do like taking American into Socialism.
williebkind
May 27th, 2010
12:52 pm
Saul Good
May 27th, 2010
12:37 pm
Do I have to hate whites to please you? As for as world leaders hating Bush, it was only the socialist who voiced their hatred as they always do. Iraq, the Bush so called lies came from federal intelligence agencies. Did you know that? I think they are the same ones used today! But you could check it out or wait until the DNC progressive liberal hate “drive bys” come out with you an answer.
Oh! Do you approve of giving the names to interrogaters to islamic extremeist? Are you a card holding member of the ACLU?
Saul Good
May 27th, 2010
12:53 pm
Show me where ANY of those you mentioned say they LOVE Obama.
And I guess your daughter would go live in another country…so sad… so sad that you believe so strongly in “man created borders” which were created to “limit” humans… no good has ever come of the human created borders… just like the religions and “gods” they “created” as well…
williebkind
May 27th, 2010
12:55 pm
“names of interrogater not to”; I know how you edumacated libruls are bout edumacation. 13 trillion in debt. I guess math was not a requirement in librul college.
Saul Good
May 27th, 2010
12:56 pm
will…YES… I 100% support the ACLU. I don’t hate white people…but I also don’t hate brown people, yellow people and people who don’t believe in the same “human created” god as you either. I just don’t like “haters” who judge people based upon their skin color or religious beliefs… how about YOU?
williebkind
May 27th, 2010
12:56 pm
Saul Good
May 27th, 2010
12:53 pm
I rather be a baby raper than a progressive liberal. So how can I love Obama.
Joe
May 27th, 2010
12:56 pm
It just amazes me at how stupid democraps are. If he would have just kept his mouth shut none of this would have ever come to light. As bad as I’m sure it pains you Jay there could have been laws broken here. Lets appoint a special prosecutor to find out. If there is nothing to it then ok. It just don’t pass the smell test though when you have so many people trying to cover it up. I guess this will be payback for all the Valerie Plame crap you libs tried to convince us was illegal…
williebkind
May 27th, 2010
12:58 pm
I believe in Americans. I believe in the constitution and the forefathers. Some of those were not white.
BMDPD
May 27th, 2010
1:04 pm
Anyone watching the Press Conference? Has anyone asked a tough question?
Paulo977
May 27th, 2010
1:04 pm
Rational
Person
re: lie about Iraq attacking us on 9/11….Oh there were many more than 100,000 and the destabilization was so gigantic it affected the whole of the Middle East. From what we gather Bush and his bandits had decided on attacking Iraq even before 9/11 because of course Saddam had begun to move away from US controls . As for his other totally unethical acts , he provided the templates for them …what about torture for starters?
John Wayne
May 27th, 2010
1:05 pm
JKL2 – I would probably report him to the authorities like any other ILLEGAL criminal I know.
Kind of a d*ck move.
DawgDad
May 27th, 2010
1:06 pm
“I was at a similar event where V.P. Gore and his young son came out to the mound for Gore to throw the first pitch. He was booed unmercifully. I was embarrassed for the kid.”
Now there’s a person even an evil hate-mongering conservative can have compassion for – the kid, that is.
BMDPD
May 27th, 2010
1:09 pm
The DHS reports that the jihadists (oh wait, we can’t call them that anymore) have more plots planned against the US than ever before. I guess Obama’s bow down and apologize to the world didn’t mean much. Thoughts?
Sextet
May 27th, 2010
1:16 pm
Obama live on CNBC. On the top kill. Plugging the well with mud. Obama is being a real leader here. He’s acting decisive. His poll number are up, the market is steady as he speaks, things are looking good, he hasn’t said anything impeachable yet…..sez 20K people are on the spot cleaning up the spill. 3 million feet of boom to contain the spill has been deployed. …….Talks about reform.
Suspend exploration off the Alaskan coast.
cancel lease sale in the gulf and off va coast
suspend new deep water wells for six months
suspend operation on 33 deepwater wells currently being drilled in the Gulf.
He calls the oil companies so powerful, they regulate themselves.
Sound like bigger government. More regs. Market taking it pretty good.
Calls spill a tragedy.
BMDPD
May 27th, 2010
1:21 pm
But has anyone asked him a tough question? He came fully prepared for that one!
Saul Good
May 27th, 2010
1:21 pm
Willie…so you’re not a “human” first…you’re an “American” first? You believe as an “American” that you’re better compared to those from other nations?
Sad.
mmm, mmm, mmm, Barack the Liar Obama - BEND OVER, Here comes the CHANGE!
May 27th, 2010
1:24 pm
hmm, hmm…just business as usual in the NObama white house. The fantasy is he’s still president. – He will go down as the WORST EVER!
Sextet
May 27th, 2010
1:26 pm
The conservatives here are so lucky that I have been forbidden and banned from any serious reply to the ridiculous comments made here everyday, because, apparently, I have such a gift for making somebody understand what a total loser he is, that it’s causes such hurt feelings and unhinges so many clown acts, that what results is a disruption of the threads that Jay introduces, and thus is totally unfair to everyone. Also, my wife made me promise that I’d stop flaming other commenters no matter how inane I find the remarks and no matter how many threats, attacks, or disrespect my own comments receive.. “Share the internet”, she said, ” You’re not always right. Relax. Let them say what they want. Who cares? Let it go.”
And so I have. But you would not believe the backlog of material I’ve got. I’ve bitten my tongue so many times that I can’t taste salt any more. Oh, if these fingers could type…….
mmm, mmm, mmm, Barack the Liar Obama - BEND OVER, Here comes the CHANGE!
May 27th, 2010
1:28 pm
Serxtet – in your dreams.
Austin Axe
May 27th, 2010
1:41 pm
It was business as usual and everyone was doing it during Watergate too… Nixon got caught and Nixon was impeached. They are Chicago educated demacrooks. They may have gotten away with this all along in Chicago but get ready; this thing is going to have legs.
williebkind
May 27th, 2010
1:46 pm
BMDPD
May 27th, 2010
1:09 pm
It is Bushe’s fault! All this happend because of Bush. Obama tried to be nice.
John Birch
May 27th, 2010
1:47 pm
Sextet – Glad to hear you check with the wife first, sounds like the liberal puscatore kind of thing to do.
williebkind
May 27th, 2010
1:50 pm
Saul Good
May 27th, 2010
1:21 pm
Yepper, I am an American first. Human sounds like liberal cataloging. If they give you a number then they can erase it. Aint that right Sextet?
Hunter W
May 27th, 2010
1:58 pm
How do you have a job as a political blogger? This is AGAINST THE LAW. (I did notice how that wasn’t mentioned in your blog.) Just like a liberal to ignore facts, logic, and good sense when trying to counter a well-researched, fact-based argument from those who oppose you.
Idiot moron…
JKL2
May 27th, 2010
1:58 pm
saul- so sad… so sad that you believe so strongly in “man created borders” which were created to “limit” humans… no good has ever come of the human created borders… just like the religions and “gods” they “created” as well…
Yeah…that having freedom and owning property stuff just keeps the man down. I wish we could get rid of those evil things too.
“All the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting” George Orwell
Just keep sitting on the couch, watching CNN, and waving your flag, Saul. I’ll do the heavy lifting for you.
williebkind
May 27th, 2010
2:00 pm
JKL2
May 27th, 2010
1:58 pm
Well stated.
JKL2
May 27th, 2010
2:01 pm
John Wayne, Saul et al..
If you’re all for anarchy then bring it on. I guarantee my gun loving a$$ will come out on top everytime.
Saul Good
May 27th, 2010
2:01 pm
Willie; So nice for you to admit that you’re an “American” first before you consider yourself a “human”….to be honest…that explains SO much about the Talibangelical Right… YOU believe that you are a BETTER human compared to all of those “unlucky” humans who happened to be born on other parts of the planet.
Do you even have a CLUE as to how pathetic and sad that is? Do you? Good thing you were not born in France…or say ummm…Syria… I guess you’d “hate” yourself and most of all…your parents for having lived there when they gave birth to you.
THAT kind of thinking is the problem…the BIGGEST problem that faces mankind and has since YOUR “god” created” all of us. Gee…I’m wondering why YOUR “god” created Muslims…and Hindus, and Buddhists, and all of the other world’s cults… why would have done such a cruel cruel thing to you “chosen” few who happen to be: White, Christian, and best of all BORN in the good ol’ USA.
One of you Evilgelicals should tell Arnold over there in CA… I think he believes he’s one of you!
Saul Good
May 27th, 2010
2:04 pm
JKL2…thanks for your threat of violence. It’s been noted.
Sad you’re SO afraid of the world at large that you even would say such a thing. Really? You’re now going to KILL those of us who don’t subscribe to YOUR views and faulty logic values?!
williebkind
May 27th, 2010
2:04 pm
JKL2
May 27th, 2010
2:01 pm
I load for you my eyes aint so good no more.
williebkind
May 27th, 2010
2:05 pm
Saul Good
May 27th, 2010
2:04 pm
Yeah but you allow those who blow everybody up a free ticket to America.
JKL2
May 27th, 2010
2:13 pm
Saul- You believe as an “American” that you’re better compared to those from other nations?
Until the day I die. Not that there are not good people in other countries, we’re just better. That’s probably why we are being overrun by illegal aliens. China is a bigger power than we are, but I don’t see them having an immigration problem.
Some people are naturally superior. Doesn’t make them evil. Just means they have more ability. No need to apologize, just a fact of life.
America is great because America is good. Following the Obama plan to drag us down in the world won’t help anyone in the long run.
In the new world order, if you make $30k/yr, you are in the top 7% worldwide. Get ready to start paying your fair share you evil rich capitalist.
Saul Good
May 27th, 2010
2:18 pm
JKL2.. “we’re just better”…because we were BORN here as humans as opposed to being born someplace else as humans… WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I give up with you… I don’t even recommend medication. I actually recommend that you be kept away from the public at large. You are truly truly one to be watch…and I hope you’re one some list of individuals being watched. I mean that.
Saul Good
May 27th, 2010
2:19 pm
Sorry for my grammar and misspellings… JKL2 has melted my mind today because of his own domestic terrorist beliefs.
JKL2
May 27th, 2010
2:23 pm
Bumpersticker sighted over the weekend that is even more relevant today.
“YOUR WALLET. The only place Democrats want to drill.”
Al
May 27th, 2010
2:27 pm
What does Rebublican political posturing have ANYTHING to do with a pattern of Chicago political corruption that has come to DC with Obama’s election? Your memory is obvoiusly shorter than most Americans whom follow politics – Blagojevich? One scandal should have been shot across the bow enough for the Obama team to ensure they act with the “spirit of the law”. They didn’t.
JKL2
May 27th, 2010
2:27 pm
Saul-
I’ll bet my security clearance alot higher than anything you could ever obtain. But if Obama can put people on his staff (Van Jones) that would not have been allowed to enter the white house in previous years, then anything could be possible.
BMDPD
May 27th, 2010
2:31 pm
JKL2, we are better because of the Christian principles our nation was founded upon. We are given the freedom to be better. But don’t worry, with people like Saul and Obama, we won’t be better much longer.
Obama is a LIAR and a FRAUD
May 27th, 2010
2:35 pm
Typical LIB mentality… what dirty LIARS.
Impeach his sorry ass.
Obama is a LIAR and a FRAUD
May 27th, 2010
2:36 pm
Oduma’s CORRUPT administration is a freakin’ joke.
Impeach his sorry ass.
md
May 27th, 2010
2:40 pm
Saul,
You sound like a very passionate guy/gal, yet you spend your time here being unproductive like the rest of us. Ever thought of channeling that energy into something like the Peace Corp?? They really do need people with your energy and passion – just a thought.
Marie
May 27th, 2010
2:49 pm
Gee Jay its funny how you have left out the names of Democrat representatives/senators such as Anthony Weiner and Dick Durbin who have called for the WH to come clean on what happened with Sustak. And if this is much ado about nothing then why doesn’t the WH just let the public know exactly who said what to Sustak, when it was said, and why it was said.
Also saying an offense is IMPEACHABLE does not mean members of the GOP plan to indict or seek impeachment agains the President. Rep. Issa of CA said that on yesterday during a Fox News interview — basically saying that no one is talking impeachment, we are a long way from that. However, if this did occur Issa went on to say then the WH should come clean and would probably receive no more than a reprimand by Congress. I don’t think there is anyone who seriously believes that such a transaction will lead to the impeachment of the President.
I for one would like to see him come clean on this and on the whole New Black Panter intimidation prosecution which was stopped in mid-track by this administration.
Dave R.
May 27th, 2010
3:20 pm
And as usual, Jay misdirects into other areas in order to avoid the main topic.
Either someone in the White House is lying, or a current congressman and candidate for U.S. Senate is lying.
There is NO middle ground on this.
Sestek has painted himself and/or the White House into a corner. And the very fact that Hope & Change couldn’t answer the direct question to him today means that he is setting up someone to be the fall guy – he just hasn’t decided who (or how high up) it will be yet.
Liberal Pariah
May 27th, 2010
3:51 pm
This Hope and Change thing has worked so well….Little did we know that Obama’s transparency in government meant his Chicago politics as usual would be out in the open. It doesn’t bother me that this has happened as has been part of politics forever, but the AUDACITY to pretend that you would be different. And you wingnuts fell for it
Karl
May 27th, 2010
4:03 pm
You are the rube, bookman. When it all hits the fan, you will not be able to leave Atlanta soon enough. This nation has been so polarized and fractured by this regime that it will take many yeas to repair. I hate it for my Grandchildren & others.
Martin Williams
May 27th, 2010
5:04 pm
what’s new….this is why they, GOP lost the bid for the white house because they want John McCain to be the GOP representative and not Mitt. Both parties do that sh….. all the time and now they once again open there bit mouths and talk about impeachment. The GOP thinks we are from the stupid So…….
John Birch
May 27th, 2010
5:10 pm
Saul – We are not held in higher regard by the world, only by our enemies in Venezuela and North Korea and Mexico who correctly preceive that O is weak. Try a public opinion poll in longtime friend Israel and see how O comes out. Most of the world regards us with some combination of fear, envy, and hatred. Unlike your childlike utopian vision it’s getting ever more dog eat dog out there as 7 billion people compete for ever scarcer energy, food, and water. It’s a very nice vision you have, but unfortunately it is very unrealistic and dangerous. Everyone’s lot in life is not determined solely by the accident of their birth, but also what they do with the life they are given. Some of us still believe in preserving what we were given at birth for our children and their children, rather than giving it away to the less fortunate Kenyans and Mexican illegal aliens.
Obama is a LIAR and a FRAUD
May 27th, 2010
5:11 pm
Impeach the lying bastard.
Nadorn
May 27th, 2010
5:23 pm
The only way this’d ever happen is to get the left onboard. And with the left so linked to Obama, either through outright worship or living vicariously through him much like Conservatives were with Bush, this is about as likely as the Pope denouncing Jesus and declaring war on China.
Samantha
May 27th, 2010
5:27 pm
Illegal activity????
No way. Not for Obama or for Rham.
No amount of criminal activity would qualify for impeachment if little Jay is to be our guide. Exactly what woudl be required? The only way that Obama or Rham could ever be guillty is if they became republicans.
So much for the rule of law.
The democrats embraced a thugocracy when they got in bed with the SEIU.
professional skeptic
May 27th, 2010
5:48 pm
Much ado about nothing. He most likely didn’t take the job offer because he knew Sen. Shelby or some other Republican obstructionist would have blocked his confirmation hearing via “secret hold” for no reason at all. You know, just because.
Running for Democratic nomination probably seemed the surer thing.
Saul Good
May 27th, 2010
6:19 pm
John Birch… thanks for confirming that you’re a “birther” and that you also frown upon those born in Mexico… at least your honest with your hate for those you believe you’re better then.
David
May 27th, 2010
9:35 pm
People should take the initiative to read the laws that are being cited before rushing to judgment.
One of the most commonly cited laws, 18 USC 600, refers to offering jobs made possible by an act of congress. Note that the President offering a job in his administration has nothing to do with an act of congress.
18 USC 595 applies to individuals in “administrative” positions. It seems unclear to me whether the office of the President would qualify. The text of the law is fairly complex and you can judge for yourself if you look it up.
18 USC 211 says that an official can’t solicit “money or a thing of value.” This is in contrast to the laws above that specifically mention employment or use the much broader term of “consideration”
Basically, my point is that this is actually pretty complicated stuff and, like them or not, it is a matter to be settled by lawyers. The news media glosses over the details that I mentioned for this very reason. They don’t understand it, their audience doesn’t understand it, and to be honest, everyone loves a good scandal.
Bookman is a joker
May 28th, 2010
12:42 am
Bookman, you are nothing more than a cynical liberal pundit that would wipe Obama’s a$$ if he asked you to do so.
UNaffiliated Voter
May 28th, 2010
6:43 am
PRAY for IMPEACHMENT …or worse.
Jay
May 28th, 2010
7:22 am
I see the freepers have arrived…
gcs
May 29th, 2010
12:04 am
“Fantasies”?
Do you know why the AJC is losing subscribers? Because liberal idiots like you keep writing crap like this. The AJC needs to learn who their readers are.
Good luck with that job interview at Walmart.
.
Saul Good
May 29th, 2010
10:43 am
Was thinking about this as I woke up today… WHAT about Dick Cheney and his “secret meeting” with the energy company executives? No secret that he HAD the meeting…but he used the term: “EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE” and denied ever giving any information about what discussions took place.
This ALSO coming from an administration that was going to “clean up the WH” after the lynch mob that took place because of Clinton/Lewinski….
Did ANY of you republicans (also now known as the Tea Party and Libertarians in the post Bush world) ever condemn the fact that Cheney would never release what took place during THOSE talks. If ya did…please post what you have from back then to show you did. To be honest…that was WAY more of an “Impeachable” action that took place if you ask me. One day the records will be released…and we’ll see how they followed the “path” that lead us to Iraq…straight from the Play Book of the Neo-Cons: “New American Century”… Iraq was discussed there… the need to take over Iraq’s oil production and overthrow Saddam to do so. But I see nobody from the right “condemning” that “secret” meeting..which actually took place in Tax Payer Funded Government Offices….
Saul Good
May 29th, 2010
11:59 am
Judd Gregg…. I see NOBODY here on the right bringing up the position that Obama offered Judd Gregg? Was HE too up for an election? Was THAT an “Impeachable” offense as well??? NAH…. Where’s all the positions that Bush “offered” as well to those who were thinking about running? If anyone needs a list… I’ll gladly past it.
Saul Good
May 29th, 2010
12:44 pm
Errr…. Post it!