White House Denies Meddling In Census

By: Mark Knoller
Topics: White House

(CBS/AP)

A White House spokesman denies Republican congressional charges that the White House is "taking the unprecedented step of moving control of the Census Bureau" to "political operatives on the White House staff."

The charge is made in a letter House Republicans - including Minority Leader John Boehner - sent yesterday President Obama - calling on him to "reconsider and reverse this harmful course of action."

In response to questions from CBS News, spokesman Ben LaBolt says the charge is not accurate.

He says the Census Bureau and the agency's director will continue to work at the Commerce Department.

However, the spokesman says that "White House senior management will work closely with the Census Director, given the number of decisions that will need to reach the president's desk."

The White House also says the same congressional committees that had oversight of the Census Bureau during the previous administration will retain that authority.

Boehner and other House Republicans also used a news conference today to express concerns that the White House will "undermine the goal of having a fair and accurate census."

Mark Knoller is a CBS News White House correspondent.

Mark Knoller
Mark Knoller is a CBS News White House correspondent.
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by eflake3 February 14, 2009 1:22 PM EST: I believe that past census'' numbers have been manipulated. I believe that the Hispanics are the majority now. I believe that there are more "minorities" in the USA than what is published. I believe in the greatness of America regardless of the demographics. Maybe we will get the truth, now.; Reply to this comment


by ioweign February 13, 2009 12:25 PM EST: the change happened 2 years ago when the democrats took over congress and we have been getting deeper and deeper in doggy do do ever since

Posted by birdyard1 at 08:25 AM : Feb 13, 2009

Ever hear the term "veto proof congress" ??

Having a majority in congress does not guarantee you are going to pass "everything"...; Reply to this comment


by birdyard1 February 13, 2009 11:25 AM EST: the change happened 2 years ago when the democrats took over congress and we have been getting deeper and deeper in doggy do do ever since; Reply to this comment


by Hartru February 12, 2009 10:56 PM EST: Hadenough44 What you are forgetting to read if you can is all of the disenfranchising "in the south" you are speaking of (and I mean all) was done by your very own Democratic Party and it''''s very own political arm, The Klu Klux Klan. The south only reverted to Republican since the eighties I think. Do you wonder why Martin Luther King was a Republican? Was George Wallace a Democrat? Strom Thurman?? He changed years and years later.

Posted by roystoll2
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Read my post again, dude. It didn''t have the words "republican" or "democrat" in any of it....
It did, however, have the word "conservative" in it.; Reply to this comment


by roystoll2 February 12, 2009 10:48 PM EST: Isn''t it scary to realise that most of your hate directed at Republicans are lies told by Democrats. Do you want more proof on any or all of this? The easiest thing to do is follow the money. Two richest areas of the U.S. are the Northeast and the west, in particular, California. SOLID DEMOCRAT. Do you think every rich person there voted Democrat just to throw you off. Sorry coach, there goes another myth. Wall Street bundlers gave your boy Obama $700 million in campaign money (now were they Republicans just being kind?) Did they give McCain any money? 5% of that maybe. Tax cuts for the "RICH WALL STREET CEOS." Obama voted yes on extending "Bush tax cuts". It is public record and part of the infamous TARP I that Pelosi and her Democrats rammed through. Remember she chastised the Republicans because they wouldn''t vote for it on TV? Where did the money go? I am truly sorry to have to use the God''s honest truth to discredit your party, but "the truth shall set you free"!; Reply to this comment


by roystoll2 February 12, 2009 10:34 PM EST: Hadenough44 What you are forgetting to read if you can is all of the disenfranchising "in the south" you are speaking of (and I mean all) was done by your very own Democratic Party and it''s very own political arm, The Klu Klux Klan. The south only reverted to Republican since the eighties I think. Do you wonder why Martin Luther King was a Republican? Was George Wallace a Democrat? Strom Thurman?? He changed years and years later.; Reply to this comment


by roystoll2 February 12, 2009 10:26 PM EST: Hey Regata, you have a VIVID IMAGINATION! I watched the news too and the Democratic precint captains were going overboard to count any dust spot or dent as a Gore vote. Wasn''t any race issue about it unlike the last election and every single day now! I thought Miami Beach was all Hispanic anyway. Acorn got caught just like all of Obama''s tax cheats say when they got caught.; Reply to this comment


by platteman February 12, 2009 10:00 PM EST: Right, Uncle Will wrote a play that said, me thinks my lady protesth too much.

They are going to do it and do it their way, they care not what the people think. Well comrades, welcome to the USSA.; Reply to this comment


by Hartru February 12, 2009 9:57 PM EST: Hey truthmatterz - Why don''''t you take the high road and tell us all what good ACORN has done? All I''''ve ever heard is voter registration fraud in 13 states (and my favorite - registering the same voter 70+ times).

Posted by taxed2debt
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Perhaps its time to initiate a discussion on all of the many CONSERVATIVE attempts at legally disinfrachising voters, particularly in the south, over the course of the last two hundred years.; Reply to this comment


by ericv2644 February 12, 2009 9:55 PM EST: I think that Obama is doing the right thing and the republican animals should stop their partisian politics.; Reply to this comment