GOP Lawmaker Darrell Issa: Did White House Break the Law?

Republican Rep. Darrell Issa of California has written a letter to the White House general counsel questioning whether the White House broke the law by offering Rep. Joe Sestak a job in exchange for not challenging Sen. Arlen Specter in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary.

Sestak (pictured) said last month that he was offered a federal job in exchange for quitting the race, though he declined to offer specifics. He said he would "never leave" the race for such a deal.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs has not confirmed or denied Sestak's claim, though White House officials have denied it anonymously.

Now Politico reports that Issa wrote White House counsel Robert Bauer to say that if Sestak is telling the truth, the administration may have violated a statute outlawing government officials using their position "for the purpose of interfering with, or affecting, the nomination or the election of any candidate."

Issa posed a series of questions he wants answered by March 18th. They include whether and in what capacity White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel or deputy chief of staff Jim Messina spoke to Sestak and what position or positions he was offered in exchange for agreeing to exit the Senate race.