Hatch Act violations at 15 agencies

This is crooked on an institutional level.

White House officials conducted 20 private briefings on Republican electoral prospects in the last midterm election for senior officials in at least 15 government agencies covered by federal restrictions on partisan political activity, a White House spokesman and other administration officials said yesterday

Step back from the unbelievable revelation of this article to note its sourcing.

The White House, seeing this story coming, is trying to get out in front to get their version as the first narrative. (The White House's "defense" appears to be, "We told our appointees where they could help and what they could do to help, but never directly ordered them to help.")

By the end of yesterday afternoon, all of those describing the briefings on the record had adopted a uniform phrase in response to a reporter's inquiries: They were, each official said, "informational briefings about the political landscape."

They know it's about to come out, and they're desperately trying to spin this.

Oh, and I think my skepticism towards the White House IG's investigation was justified. When the investigator mirrors his bosses obviously coordinated talking points, it should raise questions.

Scott J. Bloch, director of the Office of Special Counsel, alluded to the multiple briefings in an interview Monday, saying that "we have had allegations" and "received information" about similar talks that were held elsewhere besides GSA.

"Political forecasts, just generally . . . I do not regard as illegal political activity," Bloch added.

Your move, Mr. Waxman.

Later: White House spokesman Dana Perino says that there was "Not a violation of law, or of ethics."