Fri Jul 31, 2009 at 18:59:13 PM PDT
|
Well, the State Department has responded to the complaint filed by Jason Bezis with regards to Ellen Tauscher's endorsement of Mark DeSaulnier. As you might have expected, they're reluctant to acknowledge that their new Undersecretary, Ellen Tauscher, has acted illegally in continuing to endorse Mark DeSaulnier as her replacement. But they also have asked the DeSaulnier campaign to immediately remove Tauscher's name from all of his campaign material. (Emphasis added)
July 29, 2009
Dear Mr. Bezis,
We are in receipt of your letter of complaint dated July 16 and follow-up letter of July 27, concerning activities of Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Ellen Tauscher. The Department takes seriously our guidelines concerning political activities of senior employees, and we appreciate your bringing this matter to our attention. In that spirit, we have reviewed the complaint letter and its attachments. We believe that the materials disclose no violation of law or policy.
Our guidelines do not restrict political activities of Department employees before they join the Department. Under Secretary Tauscher began as an employee of the State Department on June 26,2009, having resigned from her former position as a Member of Congress shortly beforehand. The endorsements you cite in your letter and attachments refer to her by titles such as "Representative" and "Congresswoman," and not "Under Secretary." We understand that all these references concern endorsements made before she began employment with the State Department. Endorsements made before State Department employment violate no Department directive. You have not identified an instance where she endorsed publicly a partisan political candidate after having been appointed as a State Department employee.
Under Secretary Tauscher is committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct. To avoid even the appearance of impropriety, on behalf of Under Secretary Tauscher I have asked Senator DeSaulnier to remove all references in his campaign material of any endorsement she may have made.
Again, thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.
Sincerely,
James H. Thessin Deputy Legal Adviser and
Designated Agency Ethics Official
And what does DeSaulnier campaign spokeswoman Katie Merrill have to say in response? Well, she hasn't yet issued a comment. But I'm guessing when she does, it won't be "Seriously?" |
| babaloo :: Yes, Katie, Seriously. |
|
|
Comments  |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Diaries |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
