Republicans seek probe into "criminal" White House job offer

May 27, 2010, 0:03 GMT

Washington - Republican lawmakers on Wednesday demanded an independent investigation into allegations that the White House may have illegally offered a job to a budding Senate candidate.

The growing scandal stems from Congressman Joe Sestak's victory in a Democratic Party primary race for Senate last week in Pennsylvania. Sestak wrested the party's nomination from incumbent Senator Arlen Spector, a Republican-turned-Democrat who was supported by the White House.

Sestak has repeatedly said he was offered a post in President Barack Obama's administration if he would exit the race and pave the way for Spector to be renominated.

Sestak has not said who made the offer. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs has said there was 'nothing improper' in the administration's dealings with Sestak.

Republican members of the Senate's Judiciary Committee called on the Justice Department to appoint a special prosecutor to examine whether a crime was committed.

'The allegations in this matter are very serious and, if true, suggest a possible violation of various federal criminal laws intended to safeguard our political process from the taint of bribes and political machine manipulation,' the senators wrote in a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder.