Washington (CNN)-It's never too early to play hardball presidential politics. Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus penned a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder asking for an investigation of an "apparent crime" committed by President Barack Obama Monday.
According to Priebus, the crime was committed by the president, in the Map Room, with a video.
Priebus accused the president of recording a fundraising appeal in the Map Room of the White House. He said it is "not part of the White House residence, but rather 'occupied in the discharge of official duties,'" and called for the Department of Justice to investigate.
The Map Room is located on the ground floor of the White House.
"According to multiple individuals with knowledge of the White House's rooms and layout, the video appears to have been recorded in the Map Room...the White House Counsel has indicated that the video was filmed somewhere in the residential portion of the White House," Priebus said.
It is illegal to solicit contributions for a political purpose from any area of the White House "occupied in the discharge of official duties," or, used for purposes of official White House business.
But the Map Room is considered to be part of the White House residence, and has been for decades. The residence is not subject to restrictions placed on rooms used for official business.
White House spokesman Eric Schultz told CNN, "As we've said in the past, this was wholly appropriate and routinely done in past administrations."
"Many lawyers and experts have all said publicly that what this administration is doing is completely above board," Schultz fired back.
Despite the RNC's claims, both Republican and Democratic administrations have considered the Map Room as part of the White House residence.
From CNN Politics
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When did the Republican party become a holding pen for sissies, whiners, & nincompoops? Why don't they get out of government & go back to their much beloved "job creators"? We need a Republican party that is full of ADULTS!!! This constant pandering to the knuckle dragging class has got to stop before it's too late.
Hear that ? It`s the sound of another open-minded thinking, independent voter writing the Republican Party off.
The campaigner in chief is at it again – now campaigning 24/7 even while on government property. But, as expected, the general consensus on these boards it outrage against the GOP for some reason.
@ the Independents,
When will you finally figure out what the Republicans are all about?. You hold the key in our elections. Are you independents too dumb to see this? But, of course you are!
Where are the Jobs, jobs, jobs?
If this is all the RNC has to attack Obama on, its surely a sign that our President is doing something right. Maybe Mr Preibus could tell Bohner and others that the American people do not want to continue the Bush Tax Cuts. Only then will the GOP seem like a credible party not pandering to corporate interests and the rich. God these people scare me – and to think a large group of uninformed Americans voted for them. Sigh....
Henry – As an independent, I figured it out a long time ago. I'm not ready to switch to a Democrat yet, but will certainly vote FOR a democrat next election. 2008 showed that many independents lean Democrat...with the current GOP lineup – let's hope its a repeat performance!!
Hey GOP, how about you map out a compromise and keep our investments from falling when we default?
Oh dear lord. With all the work we need to get done, Priebus is embarrassing.
Instead of headlining the article as "RNC Cries Foul..." they should have just stopped at "RNC Cries."
Wow.. the GOP is getting quite desprate to take the microscope off of THEIR FALIURE to snatch a 4.1 Trillion Dollar DEFICIT REDUCTION PLAN and replace it with absolutely nothing. Nice try GOP... but even us political novices can see through this charade...
DC Johnny – Dear lord, mayby you should actually do some reasearch on your own party to know that ALL GOP presidents have campaigned at this point in thier presidency! Do you people even read or look for facts – or do you just spew your ignorance because you dont know better?
Since THIS charge is bogus, what is the REAL "crime" that has many Republicans upset? Oh yeah...being President while being black...
Republicans seem to be using old Monty Python scripts as stratedgy.
Whats next ?
The Ministry of Silly Walks ?
I was wondering why this man is not able to raise money for his Party. Now I know. He is wasting his precious time dealing with nonsense. Grow up man!
Rince Prius crying again....what else is new? Aside from Boner, Rinse is the biggest whiner amongst the GOP's boys.
Where was he when VP Cheney and Karl Rove were soliciting contributions from his office in the White House?
I hope they keep this nonsense up all the way to election day, I think they are trying to draw attention away from the cast of jokers they call canditates they have running.
ahhhhh YAWN,.. silly re pubicans
My guess is that they really want Obama to film in the Black House.
Wow – I am just so glad the RNC is on top of this. Obama should learn from his predecesor – GW never did anything illegal.
In Kenosha, WI Reince was a huge joke, couldn't even win a seat for state senate even though his party outspent his opponent by hundreds of thousands. He even had the guts to crash an annual Laborfest celebration and handed out his balloons to children. The kids, all children of hard working middle class democrats, then popped all the balloons.
Evidently the RNC isn't happy unless it has something insignificant to whine about.
Reince Priebus?
That sounds like the name of a Roman senator.
Well Priebus, don't you have anything better to do, like thinking and doing something about the debt? Didn't hear a peep from you guys when many Republican presidents used the Map Room for fund raising.
This is the reason why the GOP will lose in 2012. You guys come off as mean-spirited, and come up with the most inane accusations against this president.
Get over it.
What would you expect from the RNC, just more hate & lies business as usual.