WASHINGTON. D.C. – With both the Obama Administration and numerous reports citing former Bush Administration officials, notably former Attorney General Michael Mukasey and ethics officer Richard Painter, exonerating the White House’s effort to use the guise of jobs or appointments to obtain the withdrawal of primary candidates from challenging incumbents, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Ranking Member Darrell Issa (R-CA) released the following statement:

“It’s ironic and hypocritical for this Administration to point to what former Bush Administration officials are saying in an effort to exonerate their Chicago-style tactics.  I didn’t realize that the Obama White House considered the Bush White House as such an exemplary standard of ethical conduct.  Is at all surprising that anyone from the Bush White House would exonerate the Obama White House’s tactics when there is a real possibility they did the same thing?  If they were to call what the Obama White House has done criminal or illegal, they would most likely be indicting their own actions as well.” 

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