Here’s one for the “Things not to do when you’re a public servant” playbook: Pull government contracts for political reasons.
Check out this story about Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson bragging about how he canceled an awarded federal contact because the contractor didn’t like President Bush:
“I said, ‘What do you mean?’ He said, ‘I don’t like President Bush.’ I thought to myself, ‘Brother, you have a disconnect — the president is elected, I was selected. You wouldn’t be getting the contract unless I was sitting here. If you have a problem with the president, don’t tell the secretary.’
“He didn’t get the contract,” Jackson continued. “Why should I reward someone who doesn’t like the president, so they can use funds to try to campaign against the president? Logic says they don’t get the contract. That’s the way I believe.” – Dallas Biz Journal
Is work for the government going to come to a standstill as fewer and fewer people approve of the job the President’s is doing, thereby excluding them from winning government contracts?
Seriously though, I can’t think of a more clear cut case of illegal behavior from a top government official. Letting political considerations affect the awarding of government contracts is in direct violation of Federal law.
On top of that, what is a cabinet member of the administration doing dealing directly with the awarding or pulling of contacts for his department anyways?
I live in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Milwaukee, WI with my wife Jen, our daughter Emerson, and son Carter.
What is the difference between this and what Doyle does?
How can you possibly defend this? This is totally insane.
Of course, this is exactly the kind of thing that’s going to happen when appointments are given exclusively to campaign supporters, without regard to ability or understanding of the job.
Now, what are the odds that the MSM will ever pick this up?
How can you possibly defend this? This is totally insane.
Insane?! Nice.
Anyway, I’m not defending anything … I’m simply asking why this is different than when Doyle does this. I don’t think it’s right in either case, but neither you nor Dan seems to point out how Doyle has been doing the EXACT same thing.
Well first off what Sec. Jackson did is illegal.
Second, Gov. Doyle wasn’t involved in the awarding or revoking of the travel contract I assume you’re referring to, so it’s not the EXACT same thing, and to be honest it’s not even close.
Seriously, you’re stretching quite a bit on this one by comparing the self admitted revoking of a government contract for soley political reasons to the awarding of a contract to the lowest bidder by a state agency.
Ok .. it’s not EXACTLY the same .. Doyle took money after awarding contracts.
Oh wait, Doyle is a Democrat – you won’t besmirch him. My bad.
Doyle didn’t award the contacts, jeez. If you want to compare the fact that Jim Doyle’s campaign accepted contributions from companies that bid on contracts, even though he has no input on awarding contracts – which happens every day of the week in every city, district, and state in the country – with the fact that Sec. Jackson cancelled a contract for the sole reason that the bidder didn’t like president Bush, that’s fine.
Isn’t what you’re really trying to say is when I don’t ‘besmirch’ a Democrat for the illegal or unethical actions of a Republican, that by association the Democrat is just as guilty, or even more so, and therefore the original unethical/illegal action really isn’t all that big a deal?
At any rate, excellent job in turning the conversation away from the hard evidence of Sec. Jackson’s actions and onto your perceived illegal actions from our Gov.
therefore the original unethical/illegal action really isn’t all that big a deal?
NO! Not even close to what I am trying to say!!
What I’m saying is that you only pay attention to the Republican unethical behavior when the Democrats do the same stuff. You NEVER comment on that and I just like to point that out when/where I can.
At any rate, excellent job in turning the conversation away from the hard evidence of Sec. Jackson’s actions and onto your perceived illegal actions from our Gov.
You should take a look at the actions of our wonderful governer once in a while … the guy’s a friggin’ crook. If he had a “R” behind his name, you’d have ripped him apart on numerous occasions. But, I digress.