Clinton went to offer Sestak an unpaid job, says White House report

Clinton went to offer Sestak an unpaid job, says White House reportIt sent Bill Clinton to ask Rep. Joe Sestak to back out of the Pennsylvania Democratic primary in exchange for an unpaid job as an adviser, the White House has revealed.

The White House said in a report on Friday in The Washington Post that the former president approached Sestak last summer when he began his challenge to Sen. Arlen Specter, who had changed parties, from Republican to Democratic, and had President Obama's backing.

The report also said that Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel had asked Clinton to approach Sestak, who defeated Specter this month.

Allegations of improper conduct "lack a basis in the law" and concluded talks about Sestak's options in the Senate campaign were proper, the report further said.

The report further elaborated, "The Democratic party leadership had a legitimate interest in averting a divisive primary fight and a similarly legitimate concern about the congressman vacating his seat in the House. There have been numerous, reported instances in the past when prior administrations, both Democratic and Republican, and motivated by the same goals, discussed alternative paths to service. ... Such discussions are fully consistent with the relevant law and ethical requirements."

"I'll have something for you later," said Sestak, refusing to discuss the report's findings on Friday.

Someone in the Obama administration had offered him a job, but he would not provide details, Sestak had said during the primary campaign.

On Friday Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., a member of the House Oversight Committee, called for Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. to conduct an independent criminal investigation of the Sestak job offer.

He told the Post, "The offering of something of value, monetary or otherwise, could be a crime. Who sent the president there? What was the conversation between Rahm and President Clinton?"

It was also noted by the report that Clinton is considered a longtime admirer of Sestak, who had served in a senior defense job in the former president's administration. (With Inputs from Agencies)