Waxman Casts Wide Net in Probe of White House Political Operations

[struggle4progress]

CQ TODAY
Aug. 21, 2007 – 5:02 p.m.
By Jonathan Allen, CQ Staff

~snip~ Waxman, the chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, has been looking into whether political briefings at federal agencies violated the Hatch Act, which governs political activity by civil servants.

The Washington Post recently reported that outgoing senior presidential adviser Karl Rove organized and managed an “asset deployment” program to systematically aid Republican candidates on the campaign trail. The Post story noted that politically vulnerable Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., was the beneficiary of seven visits from senior administration officials in the six months before his November 2006 re-election contest.

“To assist the committee with its investigation, I request that you provide the committee with documents relating to any ‘asset deployment’ activities involving your agency, including any documents relating to meetings of the asset deployment team or communications about asset deployment with White House officials,” Waxman wrote. “This request also includes documents relating to the White House’s involvement in suggesting, scheduling, or coordinating travel or events for agency officials or the award or announcement of agency grants.”

Copies of the letter were sent to the departments of Justice, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Treasury, Veterans Affairs, Labor, State, Agriculture, Commerce, and Transportation, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Small Business Administration, the General Services Administration, the United States Agency for International Development, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy ~snip~

http://public.cq.com/docs/cqt/news110-000002573699.html

[struggle4progress]

1. Waxman wants answers on 'asset deployment teams’

Thursday, August 23, 2007

By Andy Barr
August 21, 2007

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) demanded Tuesday that 18 federal agencies provide the panel with documents related to “asset deployment teams” managed by departing White House adviser Karl Rove leading up to the 2004 election.

According to Waxman, documents obtained by the committee confirm the existence of the teams, as well as the involvement of 18 federal agencies, including the Departments of Justice, State and Homeland Security, in a 2003 asset deployment strategy meeting.

Waxman set a deadline of Sept. 7 for the delivery of all documents relating to asset deployment activities, as well as any communication from the White House suggesting scheduling travel, policy announcements or agency grants. Waxman has also requested a list of all events outside Washington in which an agency head appeared with a federal official or candidate from 2003 to 2006 ~snip~

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/waxman-demands-answers-on-roves-asset-deployment-teams-2007-08-21.html

[fooj]

2. How about Sibel, Henry?

:banghead: Nevermind.