RNC Chairman Calls For Investigation into Obama Filming Fundraising Ad in White House, But Didn't Former Presidents George W. Bush & Bill Clinton Do the Same Thing?

I received a press release from the Republican National Committee referencing RNC chairman Reince Priebus's call for an investigation into President Obama's alleged fundraising activity in the White House, saying it's "criminal behavior." It was very hypocritical, to say the least, since the very thing he is accusing the president of doing -- videotaping campaign video in White House -- was also done by his predecessor, former Republican president George W. Bush. But as usual, there are two standards in anything political in this country, one for Republicans and one for everyone else.

Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus today called on the Department of Justice to investigate whether or not President Barack Obama broke federal election laws by conducting illegal political fundraising activity in the White House. A fundraising video featuring the President appears to have been recorded in the Map Room which is not part of the White House residence, but rather “occupied in the discharge of official duties.” According to federal law, it is a crime for the President of the United States to solicit political contributions in a place of official government business. Chairman Priebus has asked U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder for the Department of Justice to investigate the matter to determine if, in fact, federal laws were broken by President Obama. Below are excerpts from Chairman Priebus’ letter to Attorney General Holder:

"It is with grave concern that I write to request a Department of Justice investigation into an apparent crime committed by President Barack Obama. On or about June 27, 2011, Obama for America Campaign Manager Jim Messina sent an email message containing an announcement he said President Obama wanted to make personally. The message solicited funds for a raffle, of which the winner would have the opportunity to have dinner with President Obama and Vice-President Biden. “If you haven’t yet thrown your name in the hat for this thing,” Mr. Messina wrote, “I have a feeling this announcement might change that.” Embedded in Mr. Messina’s message was a video of President Obama, along with a link to a website through which donors could enter the raffle by making contributions to the President’s reelection campaign …

So, Mr. Priebus, before you get on your pedestal, beat your chest and act as the moral compass for America, do your homework. The Map Room, where the video was filmed, isn't in the office-filled West Wing, but in the executive mansion. Further, not only did former president George W. Bush film an ad at the White House, Bill Clinton did too. As we grapple with high unemployment and foreclosure rates, a stalled economy, deficit talks that are going no where, I am taken aback that the best the RNC chairman could come up with was a ridiculous memo calling for an investigation. Nice try twisting the debate from what matters to pure bullsh*t. Is Reince Priebus trying to call President Obama a criminal?