A report released by the US House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform today found that the White House had "used the political affairs office to orchestrate an aggressive strategy to use taxpayer-funded trips to help elect Republican candidates" during the 2006 Congressional elections. The actions of the White House may have breached the Hatch Act , which prohibits government involvement with taxpayer dollars in political affairs. Former Political Affairs director Ken Melhman said during an investigative interview that it was a "big part" of his job was to "help elect allies of the President". The job was legal, he said, because it promoted executive allies. Mehlman had discussed his actions with the White House Counsel of the time, Alberto Gonzales, who approved of the efforts. The Committee noted that the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, John Walters ,  helped with nineteen events though his position was restricted from campaign activities. Mehlman said that his department had worked directly with the National Republican Congressional Committee on the strategy. They had worked together to pick "vulnerable Republican incumbents", "battleground races" and "places where they agreed the most help was needed". The White House kept a 'target list' of 'allies' who were in tight races. Investigators also questioned Sara Taylor , a former director of Political Affairs and Karl Rove aid. According to the report, Taylor resisted questioning and "misled the Committee about her actions". Taylor said the trips were efforts to be helpful but could not remember why some were helped and others not. Republican Representative Tom Davis , a senior member of the Committee, said that every administration since Eisenhower has done similar things. He said the Democrats had set out to find banned activity and had "feigned shock", calling their response "righteous indignation".
A report released by the US House today found that the had "used the political affairs office to orchestrate an aggressive strategy to use taxpayer-funded trips to help elect Republican candidates" during the 2006 Congressional elections. The actions of the White House may have breached the , which prohibits government involvement with taxpayer dollars in political affairs. Former Political Affairs director said during an investigative interview that it was a "big part" of his job was to "help elect allies of the President". The job was legal, he said, because it promoted executive allies. Mehlman had discussed his actions with the White House Counsel of the time, Alberto Gonzales, who approved of the efforts. The Committee noted that the director of the , , helped with nineteen events though his position was restricted from campaign activities. Mehlman said that his department had worked directly with the on the strategy. They had worked together to pick "vulnerable Republican incumbents", "battleground races" and "places where they agreed the most help was needed". The White House kept a 'target list' of 'allies' who were in tight races. Investigators also questioned , a former director of Political Affairs and Karl Rove aid. According to the report, Taylor resisted questioning and "misled the Committee about her actions". Taylor said the trips were efforts to be helpful but could not remember why some were helped and others not. Republican Representative , a senior member of the Committee, said that every administration since has done similar things. He said the Democrats had set out to find banned activity and had "feigned shock", calling their response "righteous indignation".
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Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
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White House
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Hatch Act
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Ken Melhman
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Office of National Drug Control Policy, John Walters
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National Republican Congressional Committee
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Sara Taylor
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Tom Davis
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Eisenhower