Why is the Bush White House using taxpayer supported public facilities and resources to support partisan Republican campaigns? The White House seems to be campaign headquarters for the Republican Party. The US Senate has an official policy which prohibits this type of blatant use of public taxpayer dollars to promote partisan campaigns.
Yet the official White House website is posting partisan campaign speeches as part of its news releases from the White House. These include campaign speeches by President Bush, Mrs Laura Bush and Vice President Cheney The only person who does not seem to be spending all their time giving partisan speeches is Cheney’s Wife.
Were these speeches written by the White House Press Corps? It certainly has the appearance of this. Are taxpayer dollars paying for this? The postings say “For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary” Is the press secretary working for the Republican Party?
Its no wonder our country is in such a mess and Bush can’t clean up the Iraq mess. The White House has become Grand Central Station for the Republican Party’s desperate effort to hold onto control of the House and the Senate. It appears the President is not working to solve the problems our courtry faces but is working for the Republican Party on out tax dollars.
In stark contrast the US Senate thinks it is unethical to use taxpayer funded resources and staff to promote partisan campaigns like the White House is doing. A Senate policy link from Washington State”s Senator Maria Cantwell”s official US Senate Website details Senate restrictions on use of public resources for campaigning.
U.S. SENATE INTERNET SERVICES USAGE RULES AND POLICIES first adopted in 1996 states:
“POSTING OR LINKING TO THE FOLLOWING MATTER IS PROHIBITED
Political Matter
a.Matter which specifically solicits political support for the sender or any other person or political party, or a vote or financial assistance for any candidate for any political office is prohibited.
b. Matter which mentions a Senator or an employee of a Senator as a candidate for political office, or which constitutes electioneering, or which advocates the election or defeat of any individuals, or a political party is prohibited.
Personal Matter
a. Matter which by its nature is purely personal and is unrelated to the official business activities and duties of the sender is prohibited.
b. Matter which constitutes or includes any article, account, sketch, narration, or other text laudatory and complimentary of any Senator on a purely personal or political basis rather than on the basis of performance of official duties as a Senator is prohibited.
c. Reports of how or when a Senator, the Senator’s spouse, or any other member of the Senator’s family spends time other than in the performance of, or in connection with, the legislative, representative, and other official functions of such Senator is prohibited.
d. Any transmission expressing holiday greetings from a Senator is prohibited. This prohibition does not preclude an expression of holiday greetings at the commencement or conclusion of an otherwise proper transmission.
Promotional Matter
a. The solicitation of funds for any purpose is prohibited.
b. The placement of logos or links used for personal, promotional, commercial, or partisan political campaign purposes is prohibited. “
Washington State law likewise has a similar restriction on the use of public resources to promote partisan campaigns. RCW 42.17.130 says
“No elective official nor any employee of his [or her] office nor any person appointed to or employed by any public office or agency may use or authorize the use of any of the facilities of a public office or agency, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of assisting a campaign for election of any person to any office or for the promotion of or opposition to any ballot proposition. Facilities of a public office or agency include, but are not limited to, use of stationery, postage, machines, and equipment, use of employees of the office or agency during working hours, vehicles, office space, publications of the office or agency, and clientele lists of persons served by the office or agency….”
See also Guideline for local government agencies in election campaigns
While it is nice to be able to check up on what Bush and others are saying on the campaign trail this should be on the Republican Party’s website not the taxpayer funded White House website. The Bush White House is posting campaign speeches given at partisan political fundraisers using publicly financed resources. This is wrong.
See below selected quotes from August partisan political “press releases” posted on the official White House website. The “campaign press releases” continue right through the present.
Remarks by the President at Lynn Swann for Governor Reception Lancaster Host Resort and Conference CenterLancaster, Pennsylvania August 16, 2006
“I want to thank those of you who have given of your hard-earned money to help these folks. You can’t run unless the people are willing to contribute. That’s just the way it is. And the fact that Lynn and Jim have raised so much money tonight is a good sign. I want to thank you for those of you who have helped organize this event, and thank you for giving of your money. It really means a lot to them. I know. I speak with firsthand experience how much it means to have people willing to contribute.”
Vice President’s Remarks at a Luncheon for Arizona Victory 2006 Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa Phoenix, Arizona August 15, 2006
“I want to thank all of you for the strong support you’re giving to the Republican Party, and to the victory effort that we’re mounting here in Arizona. We’re headed into the fall campaign, with a lot of important offices on the ballot. We have a good roster of candidates, and we need to make sure they have the resources they’re going to need in order to guarantee victory in November. A strong turnout on Election Day will be good for our party, good for Arizona, and good for the country. And in the weeks ahead, we need to make sure that our fellow citizens know about our agenda for extending the prosperity of the country, and for protecting America against those who wish to harm us.”
Remarks by the President at Orrin Hatch for Senate Reception Grand America Hotel Salt Lake City, Utah August 31, 2006
“We’re proud to be here with Elaine and the Hatch family. Laura said to me, she said, you get over to Utah and you help our friends come back to Washington, D.C. ….
And most of all, thanks for helping Orrin. It takes a lot of work to get this many people in the room. And for those of you who organized this event, thank you. I know how hard you worked and so does he. This is an incredibly successful fundraiser, and he deserves it.
And for those of you involved in grassroots politics, thanks a lot for your hard work. Thanks for making sure that Utah was solid in 2004, and thank you for making sure that Utah remains solid in 2006. I appreciate you putting up the signs. I appreciate you making the phone calls. I appreciate you knocking on the doors. “
Remarks by the President at Bob Corker for Senate and Tennessee Republican Party Dinner Loews Vanderbilt HotelNashville, Tennessee August 30, 2006
“It makes sense to send a man of integrity and decency to Washington, D.C. And that man is Bob Corker. (Applause.)
I’m proud to call him friend, and you’ll be proud to call him United States Senator. (Applause.) And I want to thank you for your help. I thank you for giving of your money and I urge you to give of your time. I know there’s a lot of grassroots activists who are here. And Bob and Elizabeth are going to be counting on your help, coming down the stretch. He’s got the message, he’s got the courage, but he’s going to need you to put up the signs and make the phone calls and go to community centers, and remind the good people of this state, Republican, Democrat, and independent, that when you have somebody of his caliber, they need to go to the polls and put him in office. “
Remarks by the President at Lynn Swann for Governor Reception Lancaster Host Resort and Conference CenterLancaster, Pennsylvania August 16, 2006
“I want to thank those of you who have given of your hard-earned money to help these folks. I want to thank those of you who have given of your hard-earned money to help these folks. You can’t run unless the people are willing to contribute. That’s just the way it is. And the fact that Lynn and Jim have raised so much money tonight is a good sign. I want to thank you for those of you who have helped organize this event, and thank you for giving of your money. It really means a lot to them. I know. I speak with firsthand experience how much it means to have people willing to contribute.”
Vice President’s Remarks at a Luncheon for Arizona Victory 2006 Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa Phoenix, Arizona August 15, 2006
“I want to thank all of you for the strong support you’re giving to the Republican Party, and to the victory effort that we’re mounting here in Arizona. We’re headed into the fall campaign, with a lot of important offices on the ballot. We have a good roster of candidates, and we need to make sure they have the resources they’re going to need in order to guarantee victory in November. A strong turnout on Election Day will be good for our party, good for Arizona, and good for the country. And in the weeks ahead, we need to make sure that our fellow citizens know about our agenda for extending the prosperity.”
