A Republican HUD scandal for a new generation
By Steve Benen Monday Feb 04, 2008 4:46pm
When it comes to scandals at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Reagan-era controversies would appear to take the cake. As Joe Conason explained not too long ago, Reagan’s HUD scandal included “politically connected Republicans criminally exploit[ing] the same housing assistance programs they routinely denounced as ‘wasteful.’”
As it turns out, Bush’s HUD scandals aren’t generating nearly the same amount of attention, but the controversies are nearly as serious.
Housing Secretary Alphonso Jackson demanded that the Philadelphia Housing Authority transfer a $2 million public property to a developer at a substantial discount, then retaliated against the housing authority when it refused to do so, a recent court filing alleges.
The authority’s director, Carl Greene, contends in a court affidavit that Jackson called Philadelphia’s mayor in 2006 to demand the transfer to the developer, Kenny Gamble, a former soul-music songwriter who is a business friend of Jackson’s. Jackson’s aides 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, Greene said in an interview.
Greene and his colleagues have alleged in the court filing that Philadelphia is now paying a severe price for disobeying a Bush Cabinet official. The Department of Housing and Urban Development recently vowed to strip the city’s housing authority of its ability to spend some federal funds, a move that the authority said could raise rents for most of its 84,000 low-income tenants and force the layoffs of 250 people. […]
“The secretary was determined that we turn over this land to this specific developer,” Greene said in an interview. “I refused. . . . He didn’t have the ability to remove me. So he resorted to these extraordinary measures to extract what he wanted.”
Mark Kleiman notes that Bush and Jackson have effectively turned the Department of Housing and Urban Development into “an extortion racket,” which, under the circumstances, sounds about right.
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our brave Dem candidates won't even bring it up .
Long long ago in the late 70's I worked on parts of the design of the Hyatt in NY. It was Donald Trump's first biggie. Somehow he managed to wrangle lots of HUD money to finance it. I thought it odd then and still do.
Just carrying over the same tactics he and his brothers used in the 80's while scamming the nation during the Iran-Contra scandal. Extortion and insurance fraud were their tools for raising the needed capitol to finance the illegal military operations and line their own pockets. More of the same, just a few decades later and wiser.
impeach and convict. nothing more to be said.
Activities like this just continue to piss off folks that get their news from places other than the traditional media. Surely a story like this would have 'legs' within the MSM..but still nothing is printed about it. Friggin' disgusting. Business as usual for BushCo.
"Heckuva job, Alphie!"
George's right hand man, Mini McCain http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/ADVG/390~Mini-Me-Goldmember...
it's like The Wire
That picture says it all... good little houseboy.
Undercover Brother @ 8:
and the sopranos
and the repugs use this to prove that government is corrupt and cannot be trusted
but shit, its private industry that is hand in hand with the corruption
the biggest rethugs are the guys who make their caishe off of the public tit
WHY are these two and all their thieving conspirators still in office and not in JAIL?
what would you expect from a bastard president who exploits the poor to
reward his rich fucking friends. maybe we should find a way to shove our
fists up bush's butt, if there's still room in there.
The first thing that comes to mind?
I would quit immediately if that man tuched my head that way.
Where I come from it is considered the most racist of gestures. A white man rubbung a black man's head for luck.
The man is disgusting!
BUT BUT BUT
the Bush Economy is so good
ha h ah ah hah ah ah ha h aha ha
GOP KOOLAID
There goes Dubbya, indulging in his head-stroking fetish again!
It says alot about this country when; one, any POTUS has the arrogance to treat someone this way and two, does not get kneed in the nads because the victim of his groping would be beat down in front of God and everyone and dragged off to Gitmo...well at least prosecuted without a chance in hell of claiming self-defense.
What kind of sick son of bitch acts likes this, at least the cigars, blowjobs and stained dresses were between consenting adults. Does the SS hit up all bald men in range of Dubya and make them sign a Groping Waiver?
Everytime I see a picture of Bush he's petting some man on the head. Fetish much? JK, if I were straight I'd totally go for Laura-- what a hotttttttie. What's that Lynne Cheney? You agree?
David Ehrenstein @ 15:
I totally thought of Benny Hill patting the little old bald-headed guy's noggin.
That said, utterly patronizing and degrading.
Shannon @ 13:
That was the first thing I thought of too. And I'm not black.
So what's up with Dumbya and stroking bald heads? Has anyone figured that out yet?
*
Well the only people that have stroked me on the head where my parents when I was a kid and my significant others.
Bush is neither to any of his groping victims AFAIK so that leaves either it is an power tripping assault by the most powerful man in the world invading their person or racist. Now, I think he has done this to white guys too, so I don't know that it is really racist.
So I would go arrogant power tripping assault that these people have to take and swallow their discomfort. But hey, maybe they were cult of personality addled cons who got off on this crap.
....? What straight guy rubs another man's bald head...seriously, that's just disturbing. Come out already, for cryin' out loud.
Bastards!
If that submoronic frat boy ever rubbed my bald head, I'd bitch slap his smirking chimpy face.
Arrest them.
Arrest them all.
oldgringo @ 11:
Because the Dems are waiting to take over the business? That's about all I can think of though I hate to be that cynical.
David Ehrenstein @ 15:
Just like Guckert/Gannon right, nice shaved head to the Shrub to stroke...among other body parts. Yuck, sorry for that visual.
Pursang @ 27:
for the Shrub to stroke...not to the Shrub to stroke. I was having a minor brain cramp just thinking of Bush and Gannon going at it.
How could anyone stand next to that freak, let alone allow him to caress thier bald head?
Kenny Gamble?!
Damn!
"For the Love of Money"....
MoneyMoneyMoneyMoney.....MOOO-NEY!
Is it good luck to rub a black bald guy's head?
It didn't seem to help Montel Williams any.
Seriously, what is wrong with Bush? Does he not have even the slightest idea that touching another man like that is completely inappropriate? Especially so for a political figure. I really think he's retarded in some way. There's just so much about that picture that's offensive.
more at my blog...
You know what boygeorge is thinkin, "I wish I had a water melon..."...
There is no way another man touches my head like that. I don't care who you are, I'd punch you in the throat. The worst part is that the little house negro is smiling like he craves the recognition, a pat on the head from his master, like a dog. Seriously, this picture is among the most disturbing thing I've seen and I work in an emergency room . . . in Philadelphia.
And @ 34:
You've seen creamed cheese?
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