When Romanoff told the White House he was committed to the Senate run, "that ended the discussion," Gibbs says. Obama had already endorsed Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet. Republicans have accused the White House of trying to manipulate elections by offering administration jobs to politicians running against its preferred candidates.
The White House faced fresh questions over back-room dealmaking after a Colorado Democrat acknowledged he had been encouraged by one of President Barack Obama's top advisers to apply for an international development job instead of challenging the candidate whom the president favored in a Senate race.
The revelation again called into question repeated promises by Obama to run an open government that was above private political horse-trading. In appealing to voters this election year, Republicans charge that Obama's promise to change the ways of Washington has given way to the craven politics he campaigned against.
Former Colorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff on Wednesday night released a copy of an e-mail in which White House deputy chief of staff Jim Messina described three federal international development jobs that might be available to him if he were not challenging Sen. Michael Bennet for the Democratic nomination.
"He added that he could not guarantee my appointment to any of these positions," Romanoff said in a statement. "At no time was I promised a job, nor did I request Mr. Messina's assistance in obtaining one."
Earlier in the day, a White House official said no formal offer was ever made and insisted there was nothing inappropriate in the contacts — a bit of rhetoric familiar after the White House admitted last week that it orchestrated a job offer to Senate candidate Joe Sestak in the Pennsylvania primary.
"Mr. Romanoff was recommended to the White House from Democrats in Colorado for a position in the administration," White House deputy press secretary Bill Burton said. "There were some initial conversations with him but no job was ever offered."
The White House faced fresh questions over back-room dealmaking after a Colorado Democrat acknowledged he had been encouraged by one of President Barack Obama's top advisers to apply for an international development job instead of challenging the candidate whom the president favored in a Senate race.
The revelation again called into question repeated promises by Obama to run an open government that was above private political horse-trading. In appealing to voters this election year, Republicans charge that Obama's promise to change the ways of Washington has given way to the craven politics he campaigned against.
Former Colorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff on Wednesday night released a copy of an e-mail in which White House deputy chief of staff Jim Messina described three federal international development jobs that might be available to him if he were not challenging Sen. Michael Bennet for the Democratic nomination.
"He added that he could not guarantee my appointment to any of these positions," Romanoff said in a statement. "At no time was I promised a job, nor did I request Mr. Messina's assistance in obtaining one."
Earlier in the day, a White House official said no formal offer was ever made and insisted there was nothing inappropriate in the contacts — a bit of rhetoric familiar after the White House admitted last week that it orchestrated a job offer to Senate candidate Joe Sestak in the Pennsylvania primary.
"Mr. Romanoff was recommended to the White House from Democrats in Colorado for a position in the administration," White House deputy press secretary Bill Burton said. "There were some initial conversations with him but no job was ever offered."
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