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HUD Officials Caught Bullying State Employees

Members of the Bush Administration have once again been caught strong-arming government officials into abiding by their policies.  In an email exchange, two top political appointees at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) discussed ways to make the life of Philadelphia's housing director Carl R. Greene miserable after he refused a request to transfer a $2 million piece of city property to a business friend of the HUD Secretary.

"Would you like me to make his life less happy? If so, how?" Orlando J. Cabrera, then-assistant secretary at HUD wrote about Philadelphia housing director Carl R. Greene.

"Take away all of his Federal dollars? : D" responded Kim Kendrick, an assistant secretary who oversaw accessible housing.

Cabrera wrote back a few minutes later: "Let me look into that possibility."

The same day these e-mails were sent, Kim Kendrick notified the Philadelphia housing authority that it violated rules which require five percent of housing to be accessible to disabled residents. HUD later stripped the housing authority of $40 million in federal funding (13 percent of their budget) because they refused to acknowledge the mysterious violation.

The emails, dated January 2007 and uncovered by the The Washington Post, emerged from a lawsuit brought by Green and the Philadelphia housing authority against HUD's decision in September 2007 to withdraw the federal funds.  The lawsuit accuses HUD and Jackson of manufacturing problems in the housing authority's performance in order to punish Greene for not cooperating.

Predictably, HUD continues to argue publicly that the decision to withhold funds from the Philadelphia housing authority was in no way connected to the demands by HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson to turn over the city lot to Kenny Gamble, a friend of Jackson's.

Greene sent copies of the e-mails to Senators Arlen Specter (R) and Robert P. Casey Jr. (D) of Pennsylvania this week, calling the emails evidence of HUD's retribution. 

Senator Casey said in an interview that he found the "smiley face" used by Kendrick particularly galling. "It's a symbol of the arrogance that pervades the e-mail," Casey said.

Yesterday, Jackson testified about the matter and other HUD business before the Senate Banking Committee.  Unfortunately, Jackson refused to discuss the case in front of Congress, arguing that the ongoing legal case had not yet been made public. 


Published Mar 13 2008, 08:38 AM by Andrew B. Einhorn |  Email |  Print



Comments

Tom said:
You know what is sad...is that almost no one even has the faintest idea who the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is. Well for those who don't know it is: Secretary Alphonso Jackson As an independent voter, even I remember Jack Kemp from the Regan years who was on the front lines trying to do good things So what about Jackson...well while the nation's housing industry was in a free fall from the subprime mortgage crisis back in Sep 07 Secretary Jackson was tackling another big priority: getting his official portrait painted -- for the tune of $100,000 to paint his portrait and those of the four most recent past HUD secretaries. OhMyGov! needs more stories like this on the site that are real and outrageous! The people need to speak out. I know there are several readers who can share some real doozies! Bring em on I need a good laugh!
March 14, 2008 8:04 PM
arlen spector email said:

Pingback from  arlen spector email

March 19, 2008 9:10 AM
General News said:

Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Alphonso Jackson is under fire from Congress for allegation

March 27, 2008 9:10 AM
General News said:

Earlier this week OhMyGov! reported on Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Alphonso Jackson

March 31, 2008 5:28 AM
General News said:

Earlier this week OhMyGov! reported on allegations of impropriety by Housing and Urban Development (HUD

April 4, 2008 10:36 AM

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