It's possible that Jackson was the most corrupt cabinet member of the Bush administration, an impressive feat.
ThinkProgress details his shady and unethical behavior.
Loyalty Over Merits: During a speech on April 28, 2006, Jackson recounted a conversation he had with a prospective contractor who had a “heck of a proposal.” This contractor, however, told Jackson, “I don’t like President Bush.” Jackson subsequently refused to award the man the contract. A former HUD assistant secretary confirmed that Jackson told agency employees to “consider presidential supporters when you are considering the selected candidates for discretionary contracts.”
Political Retaliation: In 2006, Jackson allegedly demanded that the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) “transfer a $2 million public property” at a “substantial discount” to Kenny Gamble, a developer, former soul-music songwriter, and friend of Jackson’s. When PHA director Carl Greene refused, Jackson and his aides called Philadelphia’s mayor and “followed up with ‘menacing’ threats about the property and other housing programs in at least a dozen letters and phone calls over an 11-month period.”
Contracts For Golfing Buddies: In October 2007, federal investigators looked into whether, after Hurricane Katrina, Jackson lined up an emergency “no-bid contract” at the HUD-controlled Housing Authority of New Orleans for “golfing buddy” and friend William Hairston. According to HUD, the emergency contract paid Hairston $392,000 over a year and a half; Hairston’s partner companies also received “direct contracts” with HUD. One of the companies which received a contract in New Orleans, Columbia Residential, had “significant financial ties to Jackson.” Jackson’s wife also had “ties to two companies that did business with the New Orleans authority.”
Awarding Corrupt Companies: Shirlington Limousine and Transportation Inc. is the firm that defense contractor Brent Wilkes used to “transport congressmen, CIA officials, and perhaps prostitutes to his Washington parties.” The firm’s president had a “lengthy history of illegal activity,” detailed in his 62-page rap-sheet, and his limo company “operates in what looks to be a deliberately murky way.” Despite all this, Jackson’s HUD awarded Shirlington a contract worth $519,823.
Lucrative Salaries For Cronies: Atlanta lawyer Michael Hollis, another Jackson friend, “appears to have been paid approximately $1 million for managing the troubled Virgin Islands Housing Authority,” despite having “no experience in running a public housing agency.” A “top Jackson aide” reportedly made it clear to officials within HUD that “Jackson wanted Hollis” for the job. Hollis received more than four times the salary of his predecessor.
2 comments:
I appreciate this post. It has more details on Jackson's corrupt dealings than any other blog I've come across.
But I don't blame President Bush for this mess. Secretary Jackson is responsible for his own faults and failings.
The Secretary of HUD cabinet spot has long been used by Presidents to just park a minority cabinet member. It was supposed to be a token post. Jackson was quite tricky and clever and evidently saw it as a big opportunity for graft.
Again, that's not President Bush's fault. Want to end corruption and ineptness at HUD? Then get rid of HUD.
So what is Bush's fault? I mean, of course Jackson is responsible but isn't his boss also responsible for appointing him in the first place and allowing this department to be run in such a manner? It's not as if the allegations against Jackson have just occurred and he was asked to leave. Jackson has been running a corrupt department for years.
At some point the Chief Executive of the Government is responsible for how his government is being run and how his hand-picked administrators are conducting themselves.
Why does the buck never stop at Bush's desk? For a party that advocates "personal responsibility" they sure eager to fall all over themselves to let the president skirt any responsibility.
As for the assertion that President's "park minority cabinet member(s)" there - that's factually incorrect and in no way excuses the President's behavior.
Check the list of HUD Secretaries for yourself, http://www.hud.gov/about/secretary/hudsecy.cfm
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