WASHINGTON. D.C. – In February, allegations that someone inside the Obama White House offered Pennsylvania Senate Democratic nominee and three-star Navy Admiral Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) a job in exchange for his withdrawal from the PA Senate Primary race were made by Sestak himself.  In late-May, White House Counsel Robert Bauer released a memo claiming that “The White House Chief of Staff enlisted the support of former President Clinton who agreed to raise with Congressman Sestak options of service on a Presidential or other Senior Executive Branch Advisory Board. Congressman Sestak declined the suggested alternatives, remaining committed to his Senate candidacy.”

House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Ranking Member Darrell Issa (R-CA) responded, “You know the saying there’s three sides to every story, well, now we have it.  Admiral Sestak has repeatedly said he was offered a ‘job’ in an effort to obtain his withdrawal from the Senate Primary.  The White House has said ‘efforts were made in June AND July” in said job as well as the admission that they ‘enlisted’ former President Clinton to make the overture.  President Clinton says he ‘never tried to get Sestak out of the race.’  Who’s telling the truth?”

WBRE-TV has reported that former President Bill Clinton, who until yesterday has not spoken publicly on the controversy, denied any involvement in trying to maneuver Sestak out of the race:

“Clinton denied it to EyeWitness news, saying he never tried to get Sestak out of the race and has never been accused of it.” (WBRE-TV, 8/10/10)

Sestak told a different story on May 28^th:

“Last summer, I received a phone call from President Clinton. During the course of the conversation, he expressed concern over my prospects if I were to enter the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate and the value of having me stay in the House of Representatives because of my military background. He said that White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel had spoken with him about my being on a Presidential Board while remaining in the House of Representatives.”

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