Issa threatens Sestak with complaint

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Politico.com:

A leading House Republican is threatening to file an ethics complaint against Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.) if he doesn’t reveal who in the White House offered him a job to drop out of the Pennsylvania Senate primary.

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), the top Republican on the Oversight and Government Reform committee, said Sestak needs to explain what job he was offered and who at the White House was involved. Sestak, who beat Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) in the Democratic Senate primary on Tuesday, said on a Philadelphia radio station in February that the White House offered him a job to drop out of the race.

Issa said he or another member of Congress would file a formal complaint to the House ethics committee by July 4 if someone else doesn’t bring the matter to the Office of Congressional Ethics, which handles ethics complaints from outside groups.

“I’ve reviewed the capability and appropriateness,” of filing a complaint, Issa said. “I’m one of many members of Congress considering that it has to be done if he doesn’t come clean.”

If the White House offered Sestak a job to drop out of the race, it could violate federal law that prohibits interfering in elections or promising employment for political activity. Issa predicted that a potential ethics violation could narrowly focus on covering up a felony or bringing dishonor to the House.

It could serve as a distraction over the next few months, as Sestak is locked in a statewide senate race in Pennsylvania against former Rep. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.).

One lawmaker asking the ethics committee to investigate another is extraordinarily rare – the last time was in 2004 when former Democratic Rep. Chris Bell of Texas filed against former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) and former Rep. Dave Hobson (D-Ohio) asked the committee to investigate Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.).

The committee can initiate an investigation on its own, which is more common.

“I’m not sure what the truth is, I’m not sure what his full statement would be,” Issa said of Sestak. “Practically everyone that interviews him comes back with the same thing: he can’t be allowed to make an allegation against the White House and then say enough is said. It doesn’t work that way. Either he’s lying, or covering up felonies for political purposes.”

Issa has also asked Attorney General Eric Holder to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate. The White House has repeatedly declined to comment on the situation.