Ever since I started writing a profile of transparency advocate Carl Malamud’s unorthodox campaign to head the Government Printing Office as the nation’s Public Printer, I’ve been having a fun time following his Twitter stream.

Today, a Malamud tweet brought some unexpected news. His Yes We Scan campaign has been endorsed by the leadership of the bipartisan organizations of Capitol Hill systems administrators, the unsung staffers who keep the House and Senate’s computers running smoothly. You can read their note telling Obama that they’d welcome Carl’s appointment here.

Those folks may not exactly be Washington heavies, but it’s a rare bit of backing from official quarters. So the support from this tribe of techies clearly means something to Carl, who’s spent a lot of time in machine rooms himself.

“What a beautiful letter,” he writes. “Truly touched.”