Republicans seek IG probe into Sebelius over ObamaCare group donations

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Fox News:

Congressional Republicans on Thursday escalated their call for an independent investigation into whether Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius broke the law when she sought donations from private companies for an independent ObamaCare project.

Three top Senate Republicans wrote a letter to the HHS inspector general asking his office to launch a probe. It follows a previous GOP call for a review by another internal watchdog, the Government Accountability Office.

At issue is Sebelius' effort to solicit donations and other assistance from various charities and executives for a nonprofit group that is helping sign up people for benefits under the federal health care overhaul.

HHS argues the practice was legal, since the Public Health Services Act allows a secretary to seek funding for nonprofits operating in public health.

But Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.; Orrin Hatch, R-Utah; and Tom Coburn, R-Okla., questioned whether Sebelius had crossed an ethical or legal line.

"These activities call into question whether appropriations and ethics laws are being followed," they wrote to Inspector General Daniel Levinson.

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Ethics are for little people...