Commentary by Sanford D. Horn
September 23, 2012
Barack Obama has once again put his weak spine on
display. This time for failing to act on the violation of the Hatch Act* by his
Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius.
Sebelius, a Democrat, who signed the ethics pledge,
committed numerous ethics violations prior to her being selected as HHS
Secretary while serving as Governor of Kansas (2003-09), and should never been
nominated, let alone confirmed, 65-31, by the Democrat-majority Senate.
To be fair, nine Republican senators aided and abetted in
the confirmation of Sebelius when they had the power to thwart the nomination
from succeeding. Far too often cabinet nominees are rubber stamped to
confirmation with little to no real opposition. All 31 no votes were cast by
GOP senators while 54 Democrats and two independents supported Sebelius. (www.newsvine.com)
That the cadre of Democrats would vote along party lines
is simply a matter of loyalty and not surprising. After all, Sebelius was
supposedly vetted by both Obama as well as the senators conducting the
confirmation hearings. But if she were in fact vetted, why was the following
neither uncovered or if it was, not a concern for the 65 senators who voted to
confirm Sebelius?
While Kansas governor, Sebelius hosted, at taxpayer
expense, a party at the governor’s mansion for George Tiller, of late-term
abortion fame and his entire clinic staff of roughly two dozen people. Tiller,
a major financial contributor to Sebelius’ campaigns, was under criminal
investigation at the time of the party, and later charged with violating the
post-viability law of Kansas. (www.lifenews.com)
Sebelius was caught in a meek attempt to spin the event
as something it wasn’t, then ultimately lied about the funding and expenses of
that and another event. During her Senate confirmation hearings the subject of
Tiller and money came up, and again, more spinning and discrepancies presented
that should have raised numerous red flags for the confirmation committee.
Instead, Sebelius sailed through confirmation. It was no
surprise that GOP senators Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine, Dick Lugar
(IN), George Voinovich (OH), and Arlen Specter (PA) voted to confirm as they
are moderates at best.
Lugar was subsequently defeated in a 2012 GOP primary by
Richard Mourdock. Specter jumped ship and returned to his Democrat roots in
2009 and was also ousted from the Senate in a primary losing to Joe Sestak, who
in turn suffered defeat at the hand of current GOP Senator Pat Toomey.
Voinovich since retired while both Maine senators continue their service.
More surprising were the votes from conservatives Judd
Gregg (NH), Kit Bond (MO) and Kansas Senators Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts.
Perhaps the two Kansans supported Sebelius out of state loyalty, but that is
not a valid reason to confirm someone to a cabinet position with an ethically
challenged past. Bond and Gregg have since retired; Brownback is currently
Sebelius’ successor in Topeka while Roberts continues to serve in the Senate.
More recently, Sebelius continued to tarnish her ethics
record, twice this year and both times in Charlotte, NC – once in February
speaking at a taxpayer-funded event supporting local Democratic candidates and
just earlier this month at the Democratic National Convention, endorsing the
reelection of Barack Obama. Both the Charlotte events involved cover ups and
reimbursements of funds by a complicit DNC to make it appear as though Sebelius
did not violate the Hatch Act, but such attempts were clearly unsuccessful.
While it is not practical to fire or ask for Sebelius’
resignation from her HHS post as the 2012 election is but six weeks away, Obama
has a responsibility to do so anyway. The HHS Undersecretary can certainly keep
the department afloat for three months, after Obama spends more of his time on
the campaign trail and visiting a radio DJ called Pimp with a Limp, as well as
talk shows like The View and David Letterman while the nation is in crisis.
About 10 days ago the Office of Special Council
determined that Sebelius indeed did break the law by violating the Hatch Act
and referred the matter to the White House “for disciplinary action. The usual
penalty for such an infraction would be removal from office.” (www.lifenews.com)
Obama promised his would be the most transparent
administration in history. Far from it, as he uses executive orders, recess
appointments and avoids the Washington press corps as often as possible in an
effort to subjugate his opponents, whom he has often called “enemies.” This is
the least transparent administration since the days of Richard M. Nixon. Obama
took no action against Sebelius, continuing to demonstrate weakness both at
home and abroad.
*Enacted in
1939, the Hatch Act (5 U.S.C.A. 7324) curbs the political activities of
employees in federal, state, and local governments. The law's goal is to
enforce political neutrality among civil servants: the act prohibits them from
holding public office, influencing elections, participating in or managing
political campaigns, and exerting Undue Influence on government hiring. Penalties for violations range from
warnings to dismissal. The law's restrictions have always been controversial.
Critics have long argued that the act violates the First Amendment freedoms of government employees. The U.S. Supreme Court has
disagreed, twice upholding the law's constitutionality. (http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Hatch+Act)
Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in
Westfield, IN.
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