Doan hearing focuses on improper politics

Rep. Henry Waxman lived up to his firebrand reputation by grilling General Services Administration Administrator Lurita Doan about allegations of inappropriate — possibly unlawful — behavior.

The California Democrat is now directing his investigation to the White House. Waxman, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, wants to know whether a Jan. 26 meeting for political appointees at GSA's headquarters, on federal time about partisan issues, was a one-time occurrence or part of a pattern involving other federal agencies and potentially a violation of the Hatch Act, which prohibits government employees from engaging in political activity while at work.

Waxman gave Karl Rove, President Bush’s deputy chief of staff, until April 13 to answer a series of questions about a PowerPoint presentation that J. Scott Jennings, Rove’s deputy, made at GSA’s headquarters Jan. 26. Waxman is also awaiting a ruling by the Office of Special Counsel on whether the January meeting violated the Hatch Act before he decides whether to pursue further hearings.

“This appears to be a textbook example of what should never happen at a federal agency,” Waxman said of the January meeting. “You can’t engage in partisan political activity on government time.”

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