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Bush stands by housing chief

Posted on: Friday, 12 May 2006, 15:58 CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush stands by Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson despite the cabinet official's impropriety in claiming to have denied a contract for political reasons, the White House said on Friday.

"Alphonso Jackson has admitted that what he said earlier was improper, that it was a mistake, and the president accepts that and still supports a man with whom he's had a long and close relationship," White House spokesman Tony Snow told reporters.

Jackson, a longtime Bush friend, was quoted in the Dallas Business Journal saying he denied a contractor government business after expressing a dislike for Bush.

"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," Jackson was quoted as telling a real estate group.

Jackson and a spokeswoman later disavowed those comments, but Democrats have called for an investigation into Jackson's contract decisions .

Pressed on whether Bush would withhold judgment pending any investigation, Snow said, "At this point the president is supporting Alphonso Jackson."

Snow, delivering his first news briefing since becoming press secretary, declined to elaborate.

Two Democratic congressmen, Barney Frank of Massachusetts and Henry Waxman of California, wrote to Jackson saying the comments originally reported by Jackson would be "improper and most likely illegal."

Sen. Frank Lautenberg, Democrat of New Jersey, has called for Jackson's resignation.

But HUD spokeswoman Dustee Tucker has said Jackson was speaking anecdotally and offering an example of "how politics works in D.C." She also said Jackson is not involved in contract decisions at HUD.

Agency officials did not respond to calls seeking comments on Friday.

Source: REUTERS

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