This is just one more example of how politicized things have become in the Bush Administration. Apparently, there were a lot of political games being played in areas where it was not just unethical but, likely, illegal to do so.

The Hatch Act provides clear guidelines for federal employees for what type of and how they engage in political activities. It clearly prohibits them from engaging in political activity while on duty and while in a government offices. It appears that some folks in the General Services Administration (GSA) were doing both. This morning, in a House Government Reform Committee hearing, General Services Administration Chief Lurita Doan was grilled over her possible involvement in partisan Republican activity during a lunchtime PowerPoint presentation inside GSA’s offices in January.

This presentation was given by Scott Jennings, deputy to Karl Rove. The presentation contain slides (in pdf form here) pointed out Democrats whose seats were in vulnerable (titled “2008 House Targets”). Another slide listed vulnerable Republican seats (titled “2008 House Defense”) and another (titled “2008 Pickup Opportunities”) cited areas where Republicans could pick up seats in the House. Also, the rest of the presentation deals with such things as the Republican 72-hour “Get Out The Vote” campaign and its effect on Congressional races. Finally, several of Doan’s own staff members (also Republicans) say that, afterward, she posed a question of how they could use GSA to help Republican candidates.

Conveniently, Ms. Doan’s memory of the whole event is foggy. But, one this is unmistakable. A clearly-partisan presentation was allowed to be given inside a federal government office, during work hours. This is clearly in violation of the Hatch Act. Somehow, I don’t think that Ms. Doan’s memory lapse is going to save her job.

Here’s some video from the hearing:

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