WASHINGTON, March 31, 2008
HUD Chief Resigns Under Cloud
Housing And Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson Is Under Criminal Investigation
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Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson has been fending off allegations of cronyism and favoritism involving HUD contractors for the past two years. (AP)
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Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson said his resignation will take effect on April 18. The move comes at a shaky time for the economy and the Bush administration, as the housing industry's crisis has imperiled the nation's credit markets and led to a major economic slowdown.
Jackson, 62, has been fending off allegations of cronyism and favoritism involving HUD contractors for the past two years. The FBI has been examining the ties between Jackson and a friend who was paid $392,000 by Jackson's department as a construction manager in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
The HUD chief made no direct mention of that in his resignation statement. Explaining his move, he said: "There comes a time when one must attend more diligently to personal and family matters. Now is such a time for me."
He did not take questions or elaborate on the family reasons he cited for the decision. The group assembled to hear Jackson's statement applauded and he left the room.
Jackson has a friendship with President Bush that dates to the late 1980s, when they lived in the same Dallas neighborhood. He was the first black leader of the housing authority in Dallas and president of American Electric Power-TEXAS in Austin.
On Monday, Jackson said he has spent more than 30 years of his life improving housing opportunities for all Americans regardless of income or race.
"My life's work has been to build better communities that families are proud to call home," the embattled housing director said.
Jackson said he is staying on three more weeks to ensure an orderly transition of the leadership of HUD.
His statement offered an upbeat review of his own record.
He said he and his team at the housing agency had helped families keep their homes, reduced chronic homelessness and "transformed public housing."
A week ago, Democratic Sens. Patty Murray of Washington state and Christopher Dodd of Connecticut said that Jackson's problems represented a "worsening distraction" at HUD at a time when the nation needs a credible housing secretary who is beyond suspicion.
When the existence of the criminal probe against Jackson was revealed in October, the White House said Mr. Bush supports Jackson and that Jackson "expects that the investigation will clearly establish that he did nothing improper or unethical."
In another controversy, the housing authority in Philadelphia has filed a lawsuit alleging that Jackson tried to punish the agency for nixing a deal involving music-producer-turned-developer Kenny Gamble, a friend of Jackson.
At a congressional hearing this month, Jackson repeatedly refused to answer questions about the Philadelphia redevelopment deal.
Last year, the inspector general at Jackson's department found what it called "some problematic instances" involving HUD contracts and grants, including Jackson's opposition to money for a contractor whose executives donated exclusively to Democratic candidates.
The HUD IG found that Jackson blocked the money "for a significant period of time." Jackson blamed his own aides for the delay.
In 2006, Jackson triggered the IG inquiry when he said publicly that he revoked a contract because the applicant who thanked him said he did not like Mr. Bush.
Jackson later told the IG's investigators that "I lied" when he made the remark about taking back the contract.
After the announcement, the inspector general's office did not comment on the investigation.
Helen Albert, deputy inspector general for management and policy, told CBS News: "We have seen the remarks that the secretary made to the press this morning - and there is nothing more that we can add."
©MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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See all 66 Comments9 more months of house cleaning and we get our country back!!
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Posted by exCoachKen at 08:47 AM : Mar 31, 2008
+ report abuse
Makes about as much sense as anything else these losers have done. Talk about failure!! LOL Future generations will look back at us and laugh themselves silly!
News like this, together with the news of other members of the Emperor''s court being forced to leave because of misconduct, theft, lies, etc., all seem to lend truth to the believe that the government is filled with criminals. This seems more so under the Great Emperor Bush II''s reign, than at any other time.
Perhaps crooks, perverts, and gangsters are the only people he knows, and the only people who would associated with him!
Sounds like Nazi Germany all over again!
SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!!
sig heil (more of the same), McCain???
this administration is right up there with the very worst in terms of official misconduct and g.b. is goint to europe to save his legacy? ha! his photo should be in every post office nationwide as public enemy #1.
It would be quicker, easier, and financially more efficient, if they''d all just QUIT like the Republican leadership of Congress, and save the public anymore of their incompetent fiascos!
Then, when the new attorney general is appointed, they can be indicted, charged, tried, and jailed!
You know---under the law---like we USE to have in America before Bush and the GOP took over?!
It would be quicker, easier, and financially more efficient, if they''''d all just QUIT like the Republican leadership of Congress, and save the public anymore of their incompetent fiascos!
Then, when the new attorney general is appointed, they can be indicted, charged, tried, and jailed!
You know---under the law---like we USE to have in America before Bush and the GOP took over?!
Posted by stn_sage
The Lies and Cheats of Democrats never end. Bill and Hillary Clinton were accused of more illegal dealings than all Presidencies Combined. Even though many of the Clinton partners went to jail, the Clintons never had to worry because Democrats in Congress stopped any action against them and the Democrats NEWS Media made little of numerous illegat actions. This is how it works for the World Famous Democrat "Situational Ethiscs"
i am an independent and i''ve never in my lifetime seen such blatant and far reaching corruption in any administration. yes, the dems have their share of crooks but this administration could have gone to a penetentiary and found better candidates for government positions.
Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914)
I guess this says it all.
I hear he''ll be tending the cattle on Bush''s hideaway ranch in Paraguay.
99,000 acres, that won''t be enough to cover all the dead killed by Bush and Cheney in their Iraq war.
First, the Clintons'' were ACCUSED of many things, but I sincerely doubt their total surpasses ALL presidencies combined---though I''m sure YOU''D like it to!
Second,Dems in Congress did NOT stop the Clintons'' from being prosecuted! Remember a man named Ken STARR?! Fool! He hounded the Clintons'' most of his presidency---with a little help fm a Republican-controlled Congress! Unfortunately, he never could get the proof of crimes---only sexcapades with Lewinsky!
Third, the news media readily reported anything and EVERYTHING Bill Clinton did! Including stopping at ''Mickey D''s'' for a hamburger while jogging! Unlike, the ''hands-off'' policy they''ve practiced with Bush!
Finally, you sound like an uninformed, ignorant, 20-year-old, highly partisan Repug heavily committed to rewriting history! But, one thing you don''t know---that is WHAT YOU''RE TALKING ABOUT!
one more loyal bushie flushed,
now we need to impeach the clown himself
bush is a criminal
Posted by demslie at 11:02 AM : Mar 31, 2008
Grow up stupid... no one''s buying the c-r-a-p you are selling. DOOFUS supporters have a LONG HISTORY of DENIAL. YOU are NO exception.
Shouldn''t this be looked into some more ???
Posted by joyous88 at 11:29 AM : Mar 31, 2008
He knows it too.
That''s why he bought 100,000 acres in Paraguay.
Paraguay has no extraditiom treaty with the US.
A more criminal administration I''ve never witnessed in my life.
Shouldn''''t this be looked into some more ???
Posted by parrot123
You have read the legal breif. Thats great! Now you understand the exact charges as stated by Howard Dean and the Democrat National Committee. They have nothing to do with the investigation but, they are the legal consultants that Democrats used to bring charges against the Republican. The Justice Department has not taken up the case but that will not stop Democrats in Congress from calling for his resignation. Yet Congressman William Jefferson (d-la) has been indicted on Federal Bribary charges and not a Democrat alive has asked for his resignation and the Democrat news media has no interest in the story. And this is the situaltional ethics with which the Democrats will use to run the country?
The "Democrat News Media" sure have an odd way of showing "no interest in the story".
Posted by ne_patriot7 at 11:52 AM : Mar 31, 2008
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You must be very very young then....
Posted by shingles1
Thats typical Democrat. No answer, just ignore the truth and call people names who disagree with you. That will get everyone to vote for Democtrats.
Posted by demslie at 12:01 PM : Mar 31, 20
If the Democrats had all that power as YOU claim, DOOFUS would be long gone years ago. Nice theory though.
The "Democrat News Media" sure have an odd way of showing "no interest in the story".
Posted by shingles1
You just made my point. There are 80 stories TODAY about a Republican appointee. The William Jefferson Investigation began almost three years ago and you can find only 80 stories?
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Posted by demslie at 12:28 PM : Mar 31, 2008
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You OBVIOUSLY hate the free press, you''ve made that abundently clear so I''d like for you to tell us WHO we should have appointed to determine what we see and what we hear? Right now I can go all the way from the straight "Party" line with FOX all the way to the NATION''s site. I can pick and choose as to who I want to get my news from and I can base that on MY interest. The Congressman from LA doesn''t interest me, he was in charge of NOTHING and really isn''t important to me, thus I choose to read from a News site that does NOT focus on him. THAT seems to be a problem to you Nazi''s so PLEASE tell us who would you like to determine what CBS post? Would you like to have a Propaganda Minister like Nazi Germany had? Maybe you''d like it like the old south was? Anyone who printed anything not okay with the Klan would get a visit that night from Hooded Terrorist? I just wonder who would be the PERSON to determine all this? SIEG HIEL GRAND WIZARD!! YOU love that FASCISM don''t you sparky...come on let the Reich know you''re out here drinking that Kool Aid!! SIEG HEIL MEIN FUHRER!!! Good Bootlicker!
and far from being a typical democrat, I''m a registered republican...but I find your assumption that anyone who doesn''t follow the party line (ie., anyone who can still think for himself) MUST be a "typical democrat" amusing, and all too typical among fake Republicans these days.
Posted by demslie at 12:28 PM : Mar 31, 2008
Show us the ''80'' stories you are referring to. Can''t do it?...We understand.
Isn''t it possible that Darth Cheney and George Bushit should also immediately start attending more diligently to personal and family matters?
Posted by shingles1
Which is exactly why I''m no longer a Republican... I still can''t get the stench off me, but I do feel better not being part of their sick agenda.
''retires''
to attend to
''personal and family matters''
Translation: preparing for prison
Posted by WogerWabbit
Good for Woger - you will be washed clean on January 20, 2009. Thanks for your support
Posted by exCoachKen at 08:47 AM : Mar 31, 2008
My response: Hey! Don''t be surprised if they do! Though, I doubt you would be. I''d guess they''re probably thinking about it---whether or not the public would accept it---view it favorably or not!
We''ll see. One thing for sure, they''re long on gaul! :)
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