From the Congressional Quarterly:
From CQ Today: Democrats Want to Know if GSA is Friend or Foe
By CQ Staff Mon Apr 2, 1:39 PM ET
By Ryan Kelly, CQ Staff
It’s not unusual for government agency officials to attend White House meetings.
But when those meetings are political, and the officials volunteer their agencies
to help get candidates elected, well . . . it does attract attention.
Which is why the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hauled Lurita
Doan, chief of the General Services Administration, before a recent hearing to
testify. Under questioning from committee member Bruce Braley, a Democrat from
Iowa, Doan repeatedly said she could not recall much about a Jan. 26 White House
meeting presided over by President Bush’s deputy political director, Scott
Jennings.
She did, however, acknowledge attending.
Some members of the committee believe the meeting was held to brief GSA political
appointees about the “top 20” Democrats whom Republicans plan to target
in the 2008 elections.
At one point, Doan was asked if it was true that she had inquired during the meeting:
“How can we use GSA to help our candidates in the next election?”
“There is a difference of opinion among the attendees as to what exactly
was said,” she replied.
Although Doan’s recollection of the meeting may have been a little fuzzy,
her support for Republican candidates has not been. According to federal campaign
records, she has contributed more than $100,000 to GOP candidates and PACs since
1999.
Federal law does not prohibit political appointees from participating in campaigns,
but it does prohibit them from using their agencies for political purposes or
engaging in political activity on government property.
During her testimony, Doan was asked what the word “target” means.
“I think we could say that I’m one right now,” she answered.