Editorial: Questionable political briefings

Saturday, April 28, 2007 | 7:24 a.m.

A federal investigation has revealed that White House officials briefed top appointees in at least 15 federal agencies about which political seats Republicans could win or lose and how such outcomes could affect the Bush administration's policies.

The Office of Special Counsel started its probe last month after investigators learned of a political briefing of senior General Services Administration officials in January. If investigators determine that the officials felt coerced into fashioning federal activities to favor Republican political candidates whose campaigns were faltering, then the briefings could be in violation of federal law, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

The law, known as the Hatch Act, is designed to keep federal workers from becoming engaged in, involved in or influenced by partisan politics. It prohibits pressuring them at work to influence elections, and it bars using federal office buildings, employees, telephones, computers and other resources for partisan activity.

Investigators say the briefings - 20 so far - were similar in nature and conducted by J. Scott Jennings, a deputy chief to Bush political adviser Karl Rove. At the General Services Administration meeting, Rove's representative presented a list of 20 House Democrats targeted for defeat and several dozen Republicans who were in politically precarious positions, the Post reports.

At the end of Jennings' presentation, GSA Administrator Lurita Alexis Doan asked how the agency's projects could be used to help "our candidates." Jennings replied that the issue should be discussed "off line," the Post reports. Based on that exchange alone, we can see why federal officials are investigating the briefings.

Similar briefings apparently were conducted in 2002, 2004 and 2006 in at least 15 departments and agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency and the departments of Commerce, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Interior and Treasury. Investigators are continuing their probe to determine whether any illegal political activity occurred at the briefings. So far, this situation certainly doesn't pass the smell test.