What happened to OSC Investigation into White House Office of Political Affairs?

WASHINGTON, DC –Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ranking Member Darrell Issa today, in a letter to the Office of the Special Counsel (OSC), asks for information about an OSC investigation into the White House Office of Political Affairs (OPA).  According to individuals with knowledge of the investigation, investigators concluded that the Office of Political Affairs in its current form violates the Hatch Act, which is designed to prevent the use of Federal resources for partisan political purposes.

“The viewpoints and analysis of non-partisan investigators looking at the legality of White House political activity, needs to be made public,” said Rep. Issa.  “This critical information about the Office of Political Affairs must not be swept under the rug in an effort to allow inappropriate use of taxpayer funds for partisan activities to continue.”

In 2007, former U.S. Special Counsel Scott J. Bloch announced that the Office of the Special Counsel opened a Hatch Act investigation into Bush Administration officials.  The investigation, however, languished for years. Despite requests for updates as to what the investigation had uncovered and to explain the reasons for its long delay the OSC never publicly released its findings.  Individuals with knowledge of this investigation have informed Oversight Committee investigators that as part of this investigation the OSC examined the structure of the Office of Political Affairs and found that in its current form it violates the Hatch Act.

Click here for a copy of Rep. Issa’s letter to the Office of Special Counsel.