The General Services Administration usually goes about its bureaucratic work quietly and without controversy. But on Wednesday, Lurita Doan, head administrator of the GSA, was on the heat seat at a House hearing. She tried to deflect allegations that she promised to retaliate against GSA employees who had testified that she'd used government offices to help political candidates.

The inquiry—hosted by the House Government Reform Committee—followed up Doan's last testimony before the same committee on March 28
regarding allegations that she violated the Hatch Act, a statute that precludes public officials from using taxpayer-funded buildings for partisan purposes.

On January 26, 2007, Doan attended a brownbag lunch for GSA employees which featured a PowerPoint presentation titled "2008 House Targets: Top 20." At the lunch—whose special guest was a deputy in Karl Rove's political affairs office—Doan allegedly said that the GSA could be used to "help our candidates." Doan claimed today that she "thought [the lunch] was going to be a motivational speech" and has repeatedly claimed that she does not recall offering to give the Republican Party political assistance in her capacity as administrator.

Wednesday's hearing also dove into new allegations that Doan told federal investigators at the Office of Special Counsel—in testimony that was leaked to the Washington Post in May—that the GSA employees who alleged her violation of the Hatch Act had exhibited "poor to totally inferior performance" and that they would "not be getting, promoted…bonuses or anything of that nature." In fact, these employees had all been given satisfactory ratings or higher in recent employee evaluations.

The hearing focused largely upon whether Doan's testimony to the Office of Special Counsel was offered as conjecture about their motives or as a genuine threat to their future evaluations. The Democrats on the committee focused particularly on the differences between Doan's congressional testimony and her testimony to the Office of Special Counsel.

"You've indicated to the Republican-appointed head of the Office of Special Counsel that you will make sure these people don't get these bonuses," Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) noted. "And then when you're asked by [Rep. John] Tierney [of Massachusetts] whether you have the authority to retaliate, you say, 'Well I don't have the authority.' And now [Rep. John] Yarmuth [of Kentucky] reads to you the provision that gives you the authority and you said, 'Well, I didn't know I had that authority.'"

Doan responded that she "wasn't aware of the code that he read to me, but I was happy to have heard it, we're going to look it up in its entirety."

Republicans attempted to portray the proceedings as illegitimate. "With all due respect, I can't figure out what we're doing here this morning," said Virginia Rep. Tom Davis, the committee's ranking Republican. "It is a farce premised on a sham."

Notwithstanding Davis' claim, the Republican-appointed Office of Special Counsel ultimately concluded that Doan’s alleged comments did violate the Hatch Act and that she should accordingly lose her position atop the GSA. Waxman echoed their recommendation, but ultimately, as is the case with unimpeached political appointees, the decision rests with President Bush.

Doan's problems did not begin on Wednesday.

Earlier this year, The Washington Post uncovered documents revealing that in 2006 Doan attempted to secure a no-bid contract for Edie Frasier, a public relations executive and long-time friend. That contract—valued at $22,000—well exceeded the $2,500 threshold above which competing bids are required by federal law.

Later that year, she insured the renewal of a major GSA contract with Sun Microsystems, despite an internal Inspector General's finding that the company was overcharging the government relative to private companies. Doan is alleged to have warned two GSA contracting officers concerned about the renewal that there would be "serious consequences" in lost businesses if they refused to proceed.

Doan, who, along with her husband, has donated nearly $230,000 to the Republican Party in the last 10 years, was confirmed without controversy to run the GSA by the 109th Congress in May 2006.