WH orchestrated taxpayer-funded trips to help Republican candidates.

A draft Committee report circulated by Chairman Waxman finds that in the months before the 2006 elections, the White House Office of Political Affairs “enlisted agency heads across government in a coordinated effort to elect Republican candidates to Congress,” directing them “to make hundreds of trips – most at taxpayer expense – for the purpose of increasing the electability of Republicans.”

Documents and Links

Draft Report: The Activities of the White House Office of Political Affairs
Appendix A: White House Memoranda
Appendix B: Events Spreadsheet
Supporting Documents
Interview of Ken Mehlman
Deposition of Matthew Schlapp
Interview of Mindy McLaughlin
Deposition of Sara Taylor
Interview of Scott Jennings

Under the direction of Sara Taylor, the political affairs office identified struggling GOP candidates and arranged for cabinet members to make appearances on their behalf:

From January 1, 2006, until the mid-term elections on November 7, 2006, cabinet secretaries and other senior officials traveled to over 300 events recommended by the political affairs office. All of these events were held with Republican candidates, and in most cases, the travel costs were paid for with federal funds. … In some instances, the White House specifically requested that travel be billed to the taxpayers to save Republican campaigns money.

During the course of their investigation, the Oversight Committee found Taylor to be “evasive” and “misleading.”