By Kristina Wong

Sep 24, 2009 5:54pm

Yosi Sergant Resigns

 ABC News’ Yunji de Nies Reports: Embattled former National Endowment for the Arts communications director Yosi Sergant is out of a job.  Late this afternoon, the NEA released a short statement saying, "This afternoon Yosi Sergant submitted his resignation from the National Endowment for the Arts. His resignation has been accepted and is effective immediately."  The agency provided no further details. Sergant had been under scrutiny after leading a controversial conference call on August 10, where he encouraged artists to create work to promote the Obama administration's agenda.  Sergant was initially removed from his post as communications director, but continued to work at the NEA. Just two days ago, NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman defended the conference call, saying it “was not a means to promote any legislative agenda and any suggestions to that end are simply false.” Still, the White House thought the incident serious enough issue new guidelines to prevent another such call and to held meetings with the chiefs of staff of the executive branch agencies to discuss rules and best practices.  Administration attorneys do not believe Sergant violated any laws.

User Comments

Buffy seems to be getting off pretty lightly.

Posted by: MayBee | September 24, 2009, 5:59 pm 5:59 pm

Here are the words of Buffy Wicks..
“I just first of all want to thank everyone for being on the call and just a deep deep appreciation for all the work you all put into the campaign for the 2+ years we all worked together.”
“We won.”
“I’m actually in the White House and working towards furthering this agenda, this very aggressive agenda.”
“We’re going to come at you with some specific asks here.”
“I hope you guys are ready.”
The whole conference call seemed to be about turning pro-Obama artists[and PR hacks, lawyers, people of "influence"] who have expressed pro-Obama sentiment during his campaign time from campaign to governing mode…
Seriously, how did the anti-Palin astroturfing PR firm get in on that call? I hear they’re actually working for Serve.gov or something….

Posted by: yarrrrr | September 24, 2009, 6:03 pm 6:03 pm

One by one..we are talking this admin down! :)) LOVE IT

Posted by: barry | September 24, 2009, 6:05 pm 6:05 pm

Okay, Buffy. You’re next.

Posted by: mesquito | September 24, 2009, 6:05 pm 6:05 pm

He can join Van Jones on the unemployment line…the pile under the bus is getting pretty deep!

Posted by: S.Morgan | September 24, 2009, 6:05 pm 6:05 pm

Another hateful Marxist pal of the Obama adminstration is thrown under the bus. But there are many, many, many more to go.
Obama….
The constant lying.
The staggering arrogance.
The dangerous narcissism.
The astounding incompetence.
Obama wants to put as much of the private economy under government control as possible to create his nanny state utopia where he is the boy king.
Let’s continue to stand strong against Obama in every way and get Congress out of the hands of the insane Pelosi and Reid in 2010.
Obama is a smug, smirking con man. Nothing more.

Posted by: Jackson | September 24, 2009, 6:06 pm 6:06 pm

cheers to the brave whistleblower. this was shady stuff

Posted by: travis | September 24, 2009, 6:08 pm 6:08 pm

Beck nails another scumbag!

Posted by: Fuzzlenutter | September 24, 2009, 6:08 pm 6:08 pm

The insanity of the objection to this call cannot be overstated.
Creating art to promote volunteerism, health care, education and the environment is not in the least contraversial.
Ms. De Nies, since you are the one who is calling this contraversial, please indicate who is objecting to health, education, the environment and community service.
Name one person who is willing to stand before the public and avow that they object to any of these – who is going to advocate that we destroy the environment as a matter of principle? Who is going to advocate publically that people should not be educated?
Does this make any sense? NO, it doesn’t.

Posted by: Flash Override | September 24, 2009, 6:13 pm 6:13 pm

Well, other sources feel that at least 6 federal laws have been broken. So far the government hasn’t been very honest about this. Why start now?

Posted by: wow | September 24, 2009, 6:13 pm 6:13 pm

-He can join Van Jones on the unemployment line…the pile under the bus is getting pretty deep!-
The SS Obama is taking on water after a few nasty broadsides. And the capt is tossing the crew to the sharks one by one.

Posted by: Pegleg | September 24, 2009, 6:14 pm 6:14 pm

This is the same crowd that howled and screamed that anyone would dare, dare mind you, object to NEA funded art from Mapplethorpe or Serrano because we found it objectionable. Why, you Philistines don’t know that artists should feel free to express themselves, and not be limited by a political agenda.
Now, not surprisingly, the arrogance of these people comes to the front page where it shows they don’t have any problem with funding art that supports a particular political view. Well, well.
So, objecting to art because you don’t like it is wrong, but funding art with taxpayer money to promote YOUR agenda is correct?
Odd how that doesn’t equate, huh?

Posted by: Boomer | September 24, 2009, 6:16 pm 6:16 pm

This is terrible reporting. Yosi absolutely did not “encourage artists to create work to promote the Obama administration’s agenda.” He encouraged artists to create work to promote the nonpartisan volunteer initiative serve.gov.
The only mention of health care was in the context of volunteering on issues like donating blood & child nutrition. There is absolutely zero mention of health care policy reform!
Shame on ABC for repeating these lies uncritically.

Posted by: k. | September 24, 2009, 6:17 pm 6:17 pm

Obama must not be aware that millions of our taxes are going to the NEA to spread his propaganda.
He can get little kids to sing about him for free.
“Barrack Hussein Obama–mmm mmm mmm”
creepy stuff

Posted by: max | September 24, 2009, 6:17 pm 6:17 pm

You’re next, Buffy Wicks.

Posted by: mesquito | September 24, 2009, 6:18 pm 6:18 pm

and Flash Override…we object because it’s propaganda paid for by tax dollars. That is SCARY stuff.

Posted by: wow | September 24, 2009, 6:19 pm 6:19 pm

absolutely no grant money was given out at all. Why is ABC not debunking these obvious lies?

Posted by: k. | September 24, 2009, 6:21 pm 6:21 pm

This is a tragedy! I’ve read the accounts, and nothing happened at the NEA that is illegal, nor unconstitutional. The detractors voicing their opinions here have absolutely no clue. Their political witch hunt should be the real focus here. Not slamming the NEA for trying to make this a better, smarter, stronger country.

Posted by: noraatapol | September 24, 2009, 6:22 pm 6:22 pm

Obama + NEA = Socialist Realism:
USSR
Socialist realism became the official aesthetic doctrine prescribed for artists. According to this formula, artists, composers, architects, and sculptors had to define history in a realistic and truthful light based on its revolutionary evolution. Socialist realism demanded portrayal of society as if it had already been perfected according to MarxistLeninist ideology. Under Stalin’s leadership, writers served as the “engineers of human souls” and produced novels, short stories, articles, editorials, critiques, and satires within a restrictive framework in which they strove to glorify Soviet society and socialism.

Posted by: Joseph White | September 24, 2009, 6:26 pm 6:26 pm

I’m confused…it’s the NEA’s responsibility to make this a better, stronger, smarter country? Sheesh!

Posted by: wow | September 24, 2009, 6:26 pm 6:26 pm

“Administration attorneys do not believe Sergant violated any laws.”
Of course they don’t. Others however disagree.
He should be prosecuted. If he did nothing wrong, he will be cleared.

Posted by: Conservative1st | September 24, 2009, 6:33 pm 6:33 pm

THANK GOD for the new media. We can now expose the hidden agendas of these agencies.

Posted by: Moe | September 24, 2009, 6:34 pm 6:34 pm

We need to root all these hipster creeps out of government.

Posted by: mesquito | September 24, 2009, 6:39 pm 6:39 pm

The whole thing was starting to smell like a Chicago ‘pay to play’ scheme.
I listened to the entire tape recording of that propaganda conference call.
He and Buffy Wicks were CLEARLY pushing Obama’s agenda.
Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Posted by: SalHansen | September 24, 2009, 6:41 pm 6:41 pm

I remember Nixon tampering w/ the NEA. I found the phone call smarmy and typical Chicago style politics. Why not leave it alone and fund artists and leave the politics out of it? There are artists in our area, the Twin Cities, who could clearly us the funds for their poetry, playwriting, graphic artist or music. Why divert money for political agendas? I know the reason but still think its a waste.

Posted by: bill | September 24, 2009, 6:42 pm 6:42 pm

Hmm, this guy went under the bus pretty quick. First, reassigned–now RESIGNED. Things must be getting hot near the foot of Obama.
All the more reason to keep pinching these corrupt people.
Go back to being a starving artist.

Posted by: tc | September 24, 2009, 6:46 pm 6:46 pm

This whole problem would not have come to the fore if we never had the NEA in the first place. It is not government’s job to fund artists. This is the job of those who want to purchase art in the free market. Stop using tax payer dollars to fund art.

Posted by: j0112 | September 24, 2009, 6:46 pm 6:46 pm

People also need to know that there were 22 artist “organizations” represented on that phone call, and 16 of them had just received millions of dollars through the $787 billion stimulus fund!!! These were handpicked artists who had been supporters of Obama during the campaign. Some had created artwork and ads for him, and some had created opposition artwork and ads against Palin and McCain. Now, they are being asked by the NEA, who doles out taxpayer funded grants to these people, to use their artistic creativity to push Obama’s agendas on health care, the environment and education. This is entirely against the NEA charter, and anyone with half a brain knows that. Obviously, Buffy Wicks and Yosi Sargent aren’t in that category, or they chose to ignore it because it didn’t fit their agenda!!!!

Posted by: Anna | September 24, 2009, 6:47 pm 6:47 pm

Tool: n. Yosi Sergant
Stooge: n. Yosi Sergant
I loathe the picture of him with that ridiculous Obama-worship picture. (See Instapundit for the photo).
And speaking of Buffy Wicks:
My husband just got home with some groceries from Wal-Mart. We save where we can as we live on one income so we can afford our version of a private education – a hybrid of home and private. (Some of us, unlike Democrats in the White House and in Congress, can’t afford to send our kids to *real* private schools).
Buffy Wicks is pure evil for what she tried to do to Wal-Mart and the children who would go hungry without it.
Or was that her purpose – to force families onto the public dole? To force them to buy more expensive union goods so union employees can send their dues to their union bosses, who give it willingly to the likes of Barack Obama and his friends?
They’re all disgusting looters. Can America really afford their salaries? Or shall we keep borrowing trillions from our future so little Buffy and Yosi can have their little giggly phone calls about how to steal even more of our money?

Posted by: Liberty Jane | September 24, 2009, 6:48 pm 6:48 pm

Andrew Breitbart: the human Bug Zapper
If I was an Obama adminstration flunkie with no business being anywhere near the seat of American power, I’d be looking over my shoulder right about now.
Betcha Buffy Wicks and Kevin Jennings hear footsteps right about now.

Posted by: mike d | September 24, 2009, 6:58 pm 6:58 pm

If we get the resignations of all of the fundamentalist leftist 9/11 Truther conspiracy theorists in this lawless adminstration, would there be a single person left?

Posted by: Tom | September 24, 2009, 7:05 pm 7:05 pm

Buffy will resign Saturday night around midnight. She is in the White House working for Jarrett so her resignation will be more damaging. Have to keep that one quiet. sssshhhh!

Posted by: robin | September 24, 2009, 7:11 pm 7:11 pm

Bet this news does not make the ABC evening newscast.
What is the difference between an Obama guy trying to get artists to make propaganda for Obama and the main stream media making propaganda for Obama?

Posted by: Free Thinker | September 24, 2009, 7:14 pm 7:14 pm

Buffy needs to go, too. (I try to feel a little sorry for her having the name Buffy, but just can’t manage it.)
Also, remember it was an artist who helped expose this NEA wrongdoing. Even starving artists have pride and treasure their creative independence. They don’t all like to be “used”.

Posted by: Mohican | September 24, 2009, 7:47 pm 7:47 pm

How can the W.H. issue new “Guidelines”? Laws were broken, not internal policies.. by using such language you indicate that the issue is a policy flub, and not illegal Quid-Pro-Quo outlawed in multiple resolutions that govern the way that grant money, federal money and lobbying are prevented from commingling.

Posted by: superchuck | September 24, 2009, 7:50 pm 7:50 pm

Thank you Jake and Yunji for reporting on this. And thank goodness for the New Media which is now the Free Press, the fourth check in the checks and balances of our Government.

Posted by: Nalora | September 24, 2009, 7:54 pm 7:54 pm

Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more, no more, no more, no more
Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more
What you say?
Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more, no more, no more, no more
Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more
Watch your back Buffy, we’re coming for you neeeeexxt!!! You instigated this whole thing from the White House.

Posted by: Anna | September 24, 2009, 8:17 pm 8:17 pm

Both the NEA and the White House have betrayed their mandates, and throwing poor true-believer Yosi Sargent to the hounds is a cynical act, getting typical now, that doesn’t begin to address the problem.
A full and vigorous review and disclosure by the NEA is necessary to re-establish public trust. As for the White House propagandists, I don’t hold much hope for integrity.
See you at the voting booth.

Posted by: Carol | September 24, 2009, 8:44 pm 8:44 pm

Sounds like a “pay for play” deal to me…anyone holding their breath for a criminal investigation?!?!?!?

Posted by: free_dude | September 24, 2009, 8:50 pm 8:50 pm

Disgusting Administration full of liars, thieves, tax cheats, pimps and clowns.
Who could ever be stupid enough to vote for a democrat?
Welcome to Detroit, Americans deserve what you get.

Posted by: metro | September 24, 2009, 9:11 pm 9:11 pm

Clearly this is Reagan’s fault.

Posted by: Chuck | September 24, 2009, 10:05 pm 10:05 pm

No worries, I’m sure Soros has a job waiting for him.

Posted by: Jason | September 24, 2009, 10:28 pm 10:28 pm

I bet Yosi and his artsy friends sing songs about Obama.
“Barrack H. Obama –mmm mmm mmm ”
What the heck is wrong with these people?
How can they worship a man as if he is some kind of god? Don’t they have any pride in themselves?
Making those little elementary school kids sing songs in praise of Obama is pitiful.

Posted by: max | September 24, 2009, 10:32 pm 10:32 pm

Conservatives have read Saul Alinsky and they are going after the left using their own playbook.
Rule #4: “Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules.”

Posted by: John | September 24, 2009, 11:52 pm 11:52 pm

One down, x to go. The real answer is: Defund the NEA. The American people should not be forced by government to fund art. Citizens can voluntarily support the art that we choose to support, by buying it, by privately funding artists, etc.

Posted by: Rose Lake | September 25, 2009, 12:44 am 12:44 am

Could the NEA have been any less in the tank for the far left before Obama made it official?
This overreach is actually a good thing, as the NEA’s unofficial capacity as leftist propaganda mill has heretofore flown below radar.
Every time Republicans and Libertarians try to abolish that agitprop factory with the artsy Orwellian name some prominent Democrat trots out Barney and Elmo and laments the evil Republican “censorship” of “The Arts”.
We can only hope that this time around too many people know the truth for the Muppet Gambit to work.
If we can replace Barney and Elmo with Yosi in his Barack-worshipping t-shirt as the public face of the NEA we might finally kill off the Ministry of Propaganda once and for all.

Posted by: Muppet Gambit | September 25, 2009, 3:50 am 3:50 am

Buffy the Fairness Slayer ought to go next.

Posted by: drjohn | September 25, 2009, 8:07 am 8:07 am

In this administration, there seems to be a daily need for someone to blurt out, “You lie!”.
The White House knows there have been numerous laws broken. That is why they are in major CYA mode.
This WH house a clear pattern of using the “Big Lie” propaganda technique. Will anyone start calling them on this?

Posted by: SjB | September 25, 2009, 8:15 am 8:15 am

Another one tossed under the Hope and Change Express.
The wheel on the bus go thump, thump, thump.

Posted by: Obama: I am the Change You Are Looking For | September 25, 2009, 8:54 am 8:54 am

While genocide is daily committed in this country against those without health insurance by the greedy and corrupt insurance companies; and, our brave young men and women are daily dying in combat, you morons want to whine about obscure people in this administration. Grow up and get a life.

Posted by: DianeR PCFL | September 25, 2009, 9:42 am 9:42 am

The gig is up at the White House and the NEA.
Jake: Are you going to press the president on the recent revelations by Christopher Anderson in his new book regarding the true authorship of Dreams of My Father. An in depth analysis by Dr. Jack Cashill corroborates Anderson’s claim that BHO could not have written this book, he doesn’t have the literary skills to do it. But Bill Ayers does, and Michelle Obama had suggested that her husband receive help from Ayers on this book. Who is going to ask the question? Where is Giles and O’Keefe when we need them?

Posted by: tc | September 25, 2009, 10:19 am 10:19 am

“While genocide is daily committed in this country against those without health insurance by the greedy and corrupt insurance companies…”
Posted by: DianeR PCFL | Sep 25, 2009 9:42:00 AM
I thought Obama called on people to stop using “scare tactics” when talking about healthcare. I guess he just meant his opponents.

Posted by: Really? Really? | September 25, 2009, 10:42 am 10:42 am

Bad politics as usual. There are no decent people in politics.

Posted by: Rick McDaniel | September 25, 2009, 10:42 am 10:42 am

White House to “issue new guidelines to prevent another such call”
or
ways to not get caught next time.

Posted by: Thomas | September 25, 2009, 11:06 am 11:06 am

First ACORN is implicated in wrongdoing.
Now the NEA.
What’s next? The SEIU? The UFT?
Both arms of the DNC’s organizing infrastructure are broken. The SEIU, the largest source of funding for the DNC is implicated in the ACORN investigations in several cities for having funded the illegal activities of ACORN.
This does not bode well for the future of the DNC.
I’m good with that. Anyone wanna get a beer?

Posted by: etwolverine | September 25, 2009, 11:08 am 11:08 am

One communications Director makes an idiotic statement to reporters and the whole Republication party (it seems) smells conspiracy, takes out their extremely large brush and begins another “corrupt White House” foaming at the mouth rant. What ludicrous statements.
You people should start trying to think for yourselves once in a while instead simply parroting Rush, O’Rielly, Beck and Prager… oh, and you MIGHT try reading a book rather than simply listening to vitriol being spewed on the airwaves 24/7

Posted by: Rick Jackson | September 25, 2009, 1:10 pm 1:10 pm

Feel kind of sorry for Yosi. He was just a true-believer (as someone else put it) doing his job. I have the feeling that the people who came up with this horrible idea are a couple rungs up the ladder from Yosi. Yosi is just the fall guy. Oh well, the true-believers are always the first to be eaten by their own.

Posted by: Jason | September 25, 2009, 1:28 pm 1:28 pm

Can you IMAGINE, if this had been a conservative that had advocated for a conservative president’s policies? Ok that’s rhetorical.

Posted by: Paul Roscelli | September 25, 2009, 1:55 pm 1:55 pm

Poster Rick Jackson advises people who oppose obama’s policies to read a book. The NYT’s best seller list is currently dominated by conservative authors and has been for months. I advise the kool aid drinkers, who were drowned by the fawning liberal television network media into electing the Acorn trainer in chief, to do the same.

Posted by: mioilman | September 26, 2009, 10:20 am 10:20 am

So why isn’t the white house member, Valerie Jarrett resigning also… as a con-conspirator?

Posted by: DougH | September 27, 2009, 1:20 pm 1:20 pm

Were you at least this outraged when the judiciary was being stacked illegally by high-ranking Bush officials? That has historical consequences that cannot be undone.
This guy was very wrong and has resigned in disgrace from a small agency that isn’t exactly at the heart of the government. Move on.

Posted by: Arthur | September 28, 2009, 4:10 am 4:10 am

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