Hey everyone,

So, what's the significance of that $5800 number?

Let's check the Code of Federal Regulations, specifically 2CFR, part 5800...

"CHAPTER LVIII - ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION"

"§ 5800.10 What does this part do? This part adopts the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance in Subparts A through I of 2 CFR part 180, as supplemented by this part, as the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (“the Commission” or “EAC”) policies and procedures for nonprocurement debarment and suspension. It thereby gives regulatory effect for the Commission to the OMB guidance as supplemented by this part. This part satisfies the requirements in section 3 of Executive Order 12549, “Debarment and Suspension” and 31 U.S.C. 6101 note."

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/2/part-5800

Hmm, executive order 12549? What does that order do? That order has to do with debarment and suspension.

According to archive.gov, that order was meant to: "...curb fraud, waste, and abuse in Federal programs, increase agency accountability, and ensure consistency among agency regulations concerning debarment and suspension of participants in Federal programs..."

https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12549.html

So where does the "Whiskey" come in? Well, if I were calling out the alphabet using the NATO standard terminology, Whiskey stands for "W". "W" is the nickname of the son of George H. W. Bush. Both Bushes, of course, are former presidents. George H. W. Bush signed executive order 12689 which directly refers to executive order 12549, and gives some additional instructions:

"Sec. 2. Governmentwide Effect.

(a) To the extent permitted by law and upon resolution of differnces and promulgation of final regulations pursuant to section 3 of this order, the debarment, suspension, or other exclusion of a participant in a procurement activity under the Federal Acquisition Regulation, or in a nonprocurement activity under regulations issued pursuant to Executive Order No. 12549, shall have governmentwide effect. No agency shall allow a party to participate in any procurement or nonprocurement activity if any agency has debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded (to the extent specified in the exclusion agreement) that party from participation in a procurement or nonprocurement activity.

(b) An agency may grant an exception permitting a debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded party to participate in procurement activities of that agency to the extent exceptions are authorized under the Federal Acquisition Regulation, or to participate in nonprocurement activities of tha agency to the extent exceptions are authorized under regulations issued pursuant to Executive Order No. 12549."

https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-12689-debarment-and-suspension

Somehow I get the impression all this is going to be a lot more important. I wonder if his son Dubya added on anything more to that? I'm going to keep digging...