Hannity falsely claims Romanoff “is admitting he was offered a job” to exit Senate race

Written by Brian Frederick, Kate Conway & Solange Uwimana

Published

Sean Hannity falsely claimed that Andrew Romanoff, who is running against incumbent Sen. Michael Bennet in Colorado's U.S. Senate election, “is confirming just now tonight he was offered a position” if he would exit the race. In fact, Romanoff reportedly stated: “At no time was I promised a job, nor did I request [White House deputy chief of staff Jim] Messina's assistance in obtaining one.”

Hannity falsely claims Romanoff “is confirming just now tonight he was offered” a job

Hannity: “Romanoff is admitting he was offered a job.” On the June 2 edition of his Fox News program, Sean Hannity falsely asserted that Colorado Democrat Andrew Romanoff “is confirming” that he was offered a position by the Obama administration if he would drop out of the primary race against a senate incumbent. But earlier in the show, Hannity himself said that Romanoff “insists that none of those positions were promised or guaranteed to him.” From the show:

HANNITY: Another job scandal may be hitting the White House. Now according to the AP, unnamed White House officials say they raised the possibility of a federal job with Colorado Senate candidate Andrew Romanoff in the hope that he would abandon his primary challenge against incumbent Democrat Michael Bennet.

Now Romanoff released a statement earlier this evening confirming that White House deputy chief of staff Jim Messina called him in September of 2009 and mentioned three jobs that would be available to him if he dropped out. Now he insists that none of those positions were promised or guaranteed to him. Now, White House deputy press secretary Bill Burton confirmed all of this but maintains no official offer was made.

[...]

HANNITY: We got Rod Blaojevich's trial starting. We got the admission that Clinton -- “I offered him a job” -- he acted, you know, on behalf of the administration. Now Romanoff is admitting he was offered a job. Do you see -- you're a former attorney, a U.S. attorney -- do you see a possible violation of law?

GIULIANI: I do, and of course, and Sestak's first description, I believe on Greta Van Susteren's show, if I'm correct about this, was that they bribed him with a job.

HANNITY: I didn't hear that, but he did say in his first interview that he was offered a job, it was high ranking. Now Romanoff is confirming just now tonight he was offered a position.

Weekly Standard: “Obama admin offered Romanoff job to get out of Colorado Senate race.” In a June 2 Weekly Standard article titled “AP: Obama Admin Offered Romanoff Job to Get out of Colorado Senate Race,” John McCormack wrote: “As much as the White House might want to claim that Romanoff was merely offered an unpaid White House internship or a spot on an unpaid advisory board, the Denver Post reported that Romanoff had specifically been offered a job to head USAID. If true, that would appear to be a quid pro quo in violation of the law."

Romanoff: “At no time was I promised a job”

Romanoff: “At no time was I promised a job, nor did I request Mr. Messina's assistance in obtaining one.” According to the Associated Press, Romanoff said in a statement that the White House deputy chief of staff Jim Messina contacted him and “suggested three positions that might be available to me were I not pursuing the Senate race” but that Messina “could not guarantee my appointment to any of these positions.” Romanoff also reportedly stated: “At no time was I promised a job, nor did I request Mr. Messina's assistance in obtaining one.”

White House: "[N]o job was ever offered." According to the AP article, White House official Bill Burton said: “Mr. Romanoff was recommended to the White House from Democrats in Colorado for a position in the administration. ... There were some initial conversations with him, but no job was ever offered.”