Fwd: [ NOLA_C3_Discussion] re: Alphonso did it again

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elizabeth cook <yocandra42

Sep 23, 2006 7:51 AM

[NOLA_C3_Discussion] re: Alphonso did it again

NOLA_C3_Discussion , noheat

Cc: ccandy, mascarom, vmingo

 

 

For what its worth:

 

 

 

EXCLUSIVE: Agency Report Shows Secretary Personally Blocked

Contracts To Democrats

 

In April, Housing Secretary Alphonso Jackson told a group of real estate

officials that he once canceled a government contract because the contractor

was critical of President Bush. Awarding contracts based on political

leanings " violates federal law. " Jackson is a " longtime Bush friend " and

former neighbor in Dallas, Texas.

 

The Inspector General for the Department of Housing and Urban Development

has conducted a detailed investigation and produced a 340-page report

detailing his findings. The agency has given a copy to Jackson, but refused

to release the report to the public.

 

ThinkProgress has obtained the executive summary. Here are some key

excerpts:

 

– " During the investigation, Secretary JACKSON's Chief of Staff, as well as

the HUD Deputy Secretary testified that, in a senior staff meeting, JACKSON

had advised senior staff, to the effect, that when considering discretionary

contracts, they should be considering supporters of the President, language

consistent with the remarks made by JACKSON in Dallas, Texas, on April 28,

2006. "

 

– " Investigation did disclose some problematic instances involving HUD

contacts and cooperative agreement grants, in particular, the cooperative

agreement award issued to Abt Associates…was blocked for a significant

period of time due to Secretary JACKSON's involvement and opposition to Abt.

Secretary JACKSON's Chief of Staff testified that one factor in JACKSON's

opposition to Abt was Abt's political affiliation. "

 

– " Secretary JACKSON's Chief of Staff also identified other instances of

Secretary JACKSON intervening with contractors whom he did not like. Reviews

of political contributions indicated these contractors had Democratic

political affiliations. "

 

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) have already

called on Jackson to resign immediately. The White House yesterday gave him

" a tepid vote of confidence. "

 

We've posted the full text of the report's executive summary HERE.

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/09/22/jackson-blocked-democrats