What did the White House know and when did they know it? Current RNC ChaIr Ken Mehlman says that none of the many calls James Tobin made in the course of the phone-jamming conspiracy gave him any information about that plan.
Former RNC chair Ed Gillespie tells a different story–two different stories, in fact–saying that his decision to have the RNC pay $2.8 million or more for Tobin’s lawyers was made either before or after consulting with the White House.
Gillespie told the Washington Post that “”it’s the custom, not written anywhere, that you covered your people.”
And, speaking of things not written anywhere, check out the absence of any code of conduct* in James Tobin’s consulting contracts with the National Republican Senatorial Committee and the Republican National Committee itself. The only bad behavior he’s told to avoid is revealing the NRSC’s secret list of donors.
* The RNC says it will now add a “Tobin clause” to future contracts, stating explicitly that they won’t pay for your lawyers. I hope they also check out some of the many online codes of conduct such as, for instance this one, which would have stopped the phone-jamming before it ever started:
When faced with a business decision that seems to have ethical overtones, here are several questions you should ask yourself to determine if your actions are proper:
1) Am I adhering to the spirit, as well as the letter, of any applicable law or .. policy?
2) Would I want my actions reported on the front page of a newspaper?
3) What would my family, friends or neighbors think of my actions?
4) Will there be any direct or indirect negative consequences for .. [this organization]?
…If you remain uncertain about what to do, stop and ask for help. Refer to the relevant section of this Code. Speak with your supervisor or, if you prefer, communicate with any of the other points of contact indicated in this Code.
Update: Why stop at “covering your people” by paying legal fees when you can just pardon them?