Inspector General Probes HUD Chief Comment

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON -- An inspector general is investigating Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson's comments to a business group that he rejected an advertising contract because the contractor had criticized President Bush.

"We have received a number of complaints from the public as well as from members of Congress," Michael Zerega, spokesman for HUD's inspector general, said Friday. "We are reviewing this matter and will look to the facts and any applicable law or requirements."

.....the Congressional Research Service issued a memorandum saying it would violate federal law _ and perhaps the Constitution _ to deny a contract to someone because of his or her political affiliation. The memo was released Friday by Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., who had requested the opinion.

"Contracts may not be awarded on the basis of personal or political favoritism, and all potential contractors should be treated with complete impartiality and with preferential treatment for none," said the memo, signed by John Luckey, a lawyer with the nonpartisan research service.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/12/AR2006051200948.html

[truthisfreedom]

1. the key detail here is the minority status of the businessman in question.

why would Alphonso say that he was a minority businessman? why add such a specific detail to a fabricated story? look here:

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/politics/14564792.htm

Jackson told a Dallas business group April 28 about a minority contractor who finally had landed an advertising contract with HUD after trying for 10 years, according to an article in the Dallas Business Journal.

this story has legs. i believe that Alphonso DID in fact refuse a contract to a minority businessman solely on the basis of political beliefs, and i believe that this is the tip of the iceberg as far as bushco policy on this type of discrimination. bushco is really going to have to scramble to contain this one.

[lumpy]

2. Glad to see this isn't going by the

wayside. Jackson should b ripped out of his position and Bush deserves to be reprimanded for his do nothing, as usual, attitude.

[Gormy Cuss]

6. One reason why he might add the detail

is to send the message that politics trump race. Of course that's just a theory. It is more likely that Jackson has acted improperly with the awarding of contracts.

Key question: If it happened as Jackson described, why hasn't this minority contractor come forward in recent days? I'd love to be able to put a name and face on that story.

[rodeodance]

3. te he. and this is after Bush backed him (after he apologized).

[struggle4progress]

4. K&R

[WiseButAngrySara]

5. knr and thanks! ...n/t