Shortly after the White House released a memo in an attempt to diffuse the dust-up over claims there was a quid pro quo to influence the Pennsylvania Democratic Senate primary, Rep. Joe Sestak is confirming the administration’s account.
The nominee’s statement includes the first real details Sestak (D-PA) has offered since first acknowledging there was an offer, an issue which heated up since he won the May 18 primary over Sen. Arlen Specter.
Sestak said he was called last summer by President Clinton, who “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.” Sestak said that during the call, which the White House said was in June and July, Clinton relayed a message from White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel there was interest in Sestak serving on a presidential board.
“I said no. I told President Clinton that my only consideration in getting into the Senate race or not was whether it was the right thing to do for Pennsylvania working families and not any offer. The former President said he knew I’d say that, and the conversation moved on to other subjects,” Sestak said in his statement.
Sestak also said he’d like to move on to the issues facing Pennsylvanians.
The candidate’s statement is unlikely to satisfy Republicans who have been going after the White House for weeks on the issue. Already, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) has issued a statement suggesting that there was a “rush” to release the report. He accused the White House of doing “everything but explain its own actions and has instead worked to craft a story behind closed doors and coordinate with those involved.”
The news also comes as Clinton is stumping in Arkansas where Democrats are locked in another hotly contested primary. He’s supporting Sen. Blanche Lincoln against progressive Democrat Lt. Gov. Bill Halter and the disclosure from the White House could give fuel to Halter’s anti-establishment message in advance of the runoff election is June 8.
