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After Series of Conflicting Statements, HUD Spokeswoman Goes on ‘Scheduled Leave’»

On April 28, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Alphonso Jackson told a real estate group that he had canceled a government contract because the contractor criticized President Bush. Since then his spokeswoman, Dustee Tucker, has given conflicting explanations of the event. Let’s review —

May 3: Tucker tells the Dallas Business Journal that the contract Jackson was referring to in Dallas was an actual HUD “advertising contract with a minority publication.”

Early yesterday: Tucker tells the Dallas Morning News that Alphonso Jackson was referring to a real contract that was canceled. She even provided additional details of Jackson’s encounter with the contractor that Jackson did not mention during his April 28 speech: “When first asked about the episode Tuesday, Ms. Tucker spoke as if the contractor existed, saying he had approached Mr. Jackson ‘trashing, in a very aggressive way’ him and the president.”

Later yesterday: Tucker tells the Dallas Business Journal that Alphonso Jackson made the whole thing up: “He was merely trying to explain to the audience how people in D.C., will say critical things about the secretary, will unfairly characterize the president and then turn around and ask you for money,” Tucker said. “He did not actually meet with someone and turn down a contract. He’s not part of the contracting process.” She repeats this version to the Dallas Morning News: “’It’s not a true story. It’s a made-up story,’ said Jackson spokeswoman Dustee Tucker, adding that he was only trying to make a point about how Washington works.”

Today, ThinkProgress made several attempts to contact Dustee Tucker at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. We were routed to Jerry Brown in the Office of Press Relations. Mr. Brown couldn’t answer our questions about the inconsistencies in Ms. Tucker’s statements. He also informed us that Ms. Tucker was now on “scheduled leave” and would not return until “next week.”

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69 Responses to “After Series of Conflicting Statements, HUD Spokeswoman Goes on ‘Scheduled Leave’”


  1. ha! Says:

    She had a party to go to.


  2. blogenfreude Says:

    Perfect stripper name …


  3. RyanSeacrust Says:

    I’d do her….again


  4. Linda Says:

    She must have still been drunk from the 2003 party


  5. Ain't Votin' fer Clinton-Murdoch! Says:

    She has the look of someone enjoying sucking on the government teet…


  6. Zookeeper Says:

    They only call it “scheduled leave” if you really hadn’t planned on going. Sorry sweetcakes, looks like you’re taking the fall for this one.


  7. Krazny Says:

    Anyone want to bet on Jackson going on scheduled leave?


  8. OxyConservative Says:

    I’m sure when Dusty returns from her well deserved vacation (she works so hard, you know), she will have all the Bush lawyer talking points down pat.


  9. bushllit Says:

    run….run & hide….if you close your eyes tight enough, cup your ears and scream “I CAN’T SEE YOU! I CAN’T HEAR YOU! this whole mess will go away


  10. barfly Says:

    He also informed us that Ms. Tucker was now on “scheduled leave” and would not return until “next week.”

    Scheduled just this morning, in fact.


  11. Zimzone Says:

    This all fits, folks…
    Bush lives a fairy tale life.
    Nothing ever ‘really happens’.
    When it does, & it doesn’t sit well
    with the American public, it changes
    to ‘this was just make believe’.
    I think it’s about time Bush takes his
    ‘Scheduled Leave’ again, eh? Maybe
    it will be permanent this time.


  12. GSD Says:

    Did Dustee Tucker do any moonlighting at the Dukesters Watergate hotel parties?

    -GSD


  13. Zookeeper Says:

    “Dustee” with two e’s makes it a stripper name.
    Do what you feel necessary with “Tucker.”
    :-D


  14. Roger Bixley Says:

    She’s HOT… I’m sorry, but she is…


  15. Jules Says:

    Well Roger, don’t hookers have to be?

    Oh, she isn’t….are you sure?


  16. kindness Says:

    eh….liberals DO IT BETTER!


  17. yankeluh Says:

    #15 Why else would she have the job?


  18. Daniel DiRito Says:

    This mess looks to be moving from simmer to boil…I actually kind of enjoy that the Republicans drag these messes out…as each day passes we get closer and closer to the midterm elections. If the Democrats had been given three wishes from a genie right after the 2004 election, they couldn’t have been much better than the events that have actually happened. Better yet..it looks like there is more to come.

    more observations here:

    http://www.thoughttheater.com


  19. Mike Says:

    Ok, seriously. This is speculation about nothing. Yes, it seems quote convenient. Might be bad timing. But it might also be REAL.

    Do you know how much leave gov’t employees get? Employees with 3 years of “service” get 6 hours of discretionary “annual” leave per pay period. That’s right at 4 weeks a year (really, 3 weeks, 4.5 days). All that, PLUS 2.5 weeks of sick leave and 11 federal holidays. That’s a lot of vacation time, not to mention it’s 1) wedding season, 2) vacation season.

    Nothing new to see here. Move on …


  20. slappymagoo Says:

    She probably had to go have plastic surgery on her humongous nose.

    (This is a Pinocchio-esque reference to the fact that she’s told so many inconsistent stories over the past few days, her nose must have grown to mighty-oak-tree lengths. It is not meant to be a slam on Tucker’s physcial appearance. Or her semmingly awkward dance moves. Or her humongous nose.)


  21. Flamethrower Says:

    this is what happens when a political hitman like Karl puts a political hack in every office from FEMA to HUD to 14th Undersecretary of Concessions at Smokey Mountain National Park.

    The media never followed up on the hacks running/ruining Iraq.


  22. Wayne Says:

    15, Yeah, She is hot, but I try to avoid women with obvious mental issues, such as being a republican. Liberal women are much more of a turn on for me =)

    It seems very strange that she is on vacation the day after this blows open. too coincidental…..


  23. james risser Says:

    dustee…wow, i was expecting a fat-ass republican with a cowboy hat and a teeny penis…

    nice surprise!


  24. Ron Barth Says:

    You can see more of Dustee at http://www.madisondc.org/gallery.html# . Unless I’m mistaken, she’s the third one from the right, black dress with white print, in the Flash slideshow picture with 8 other girls at the top of the page.


  25. Goebbels Says:

    She’s a babe. Schwiiing!


  26. jimb Says:

    It’s like every single day the White House and the GOP give us three or four brand new episodes of “Short Attention Span Theatre”. Not one of them comes to a close before another jumps up and takes center stage. This is just our afternoon matinee.

    The Republicans are crying to their base, “If the Democrats take over, they’ll be holding hearings for the next three years!”

    Well, first of all, it’s more like the next five or six years. But, secondly, if the dumbass, criminally insane Republicans would just take a day off from malfeasance every so often, they wouldn’t be inviting so much attention to their morass of ethical violations.

    You don’t like being investigated? Stop breaking the damn law!!!


  27. katy Says:

    hey! good news! randi rhodes wants to hear from republicans - what ONE good thing has bush done for the country? … 866-303-2270


  28. Ron Barth Says:

    Goebbels:
    Give her a call:

    Contact: Dustee Tucker
    (202) 708-0685
    http://www.hud.gov/news/

    from http://www.hud.gov/ news/ release.cfm?content=pr05-136.cfm


  29. Jules Says:

    #27 - OMG - truer words were never spoken. I am still laughing at the last line. I will be laughing at that all the way home!!!


  30. R U Serious Says:

    buuummp, buuummp, buuummp

    Another One Bites Tha Dust!!!!!


  31. Punchy Says:

    What’s with Ann Coulter’s body double on the right? Holy Big Face….


  32. solfood Says:

    I’d hit it…


  33. MarkC Says:

    The women keep getting younger, and the men, well they keep getting younger women to enjoy their company at the annual Bachelors and Spinsters Ball.

    That’s the text that accompanies the photo you use. And they wonder why Republicans keep getting arrested for pederesty.


  34. Balloon Juice Says:

    […] Dustee Tucker, the HUD spokeswoman who has more explanations than she has dipthongs, has taken a conveniently-timed leave of absence. […]


  35. konopelli Says:

    I’d hit it, too…

    but the other one, the redhead, really WANTS it…


  36. War4Sale Says:

    Don’t be surprised if she gets into a freak windsurfing accident or accidentally wanders off a cliff while on vacation…


  37. Lex Says:

    So does “scheduled leave” mean she sleeps with Luca Brasi now, or what?


  38. Neil Einsele Says:

    When are these people going to follow my dear departed fathers advice. Just tell the truth then you don’t have to remember what you said it will always be the same. Oh well I am just a blue guy in a red county within a blue state.
    Neil


  39. the exile Says:

    C’mon people, reserve your bile for the crook Jackson himself. Don’t subject the powerless underling to sexist unfunny personal smears. It lacks class, is unfair, and reflects poorly on YOU. For all we know Ms. Tucker may well be a decent human being, and her testimony against Jackson may be quite useful down the road. I’m frankly embarassed by the quality of many of the comments here, and you should be too.


  40. humint Says:

    #25 - yeah, she’s in the member list


  41. Ho Ho Hoes Neil Bush Knows Hoes Says:

    Caption contest;

    Would you like the new or used Tramp-o-line?


  42. Cyra Brown Says:

    So she claimed it was a true story, BEFORE she claimed that it was a made-up story, huh? She is clearly overdue for her “Spokesperson Spin” refresher course. Thank goodness she already had that ‘leave’ scheduled. Get with the ‘programming’, Sister!!


  43. Jay Randal Says:

    Dustee Tucker needs to meet Dusty Foggo > they might become instant friends, but not lovers because Foggo’s sweety is Brent Wilkes > lol.


  44. Drew Miller Says:

    She is hot, but don’t be douche bags about it. Just because she is attractive and at a party (or just because she is a Republican) doesn’t mean she is a prostitute or a tramp, and it’s really lame to insinuate it.


  45. Dennis Says:

    Another conservative Bushie flack bites the dust. Maybe she is on vacation with that 24-yr old twit from NASA public affairs who instructed scientists to teach the “Big Bang” theory.

    Looks like Dustee Tucker might have had a little of the “Big Bang” herself. Maybe she is off interviewing for a job as a pole dancer somewhere.


  46. Antagonist Says:

    Oh my God! Dustee Tucker wasn’t available for comment! Apparently she doesn’t realize how important ThinkProgress is.


  47. dumbstruck Says:

    Write your own caption…..

    Woman on right: Dusteee, dearest did you do that,..? my eyes are like positvely burning from the odor.

    Dustee: No you bitch, but if you keep looking at me I’ll do it again.


  48. unbelievable Says:

    These people remind me of middle school kids. You can be looking straight at them, catch them doing something they shouldn’t be, while they see you seeing them, and they will still deny whatever it is they’ve done until they are blue in the face.

    Psychologically neocons are stuck at 12.


  49. Blue Patriot Says:

    Ms. Tucker is not the tyarget here, people, any more than Scott McClellan was at fault for all the crazy stuff that the Bush administration does. Frankly, I bet she said “I’m going on vacation, and you assholes can straighten this out for ourselves”. She’s just a cog in the dumbass machine. I feel bad for her.
    She should quit and write a tell all.


  50. Antagonist Says:

    #51

    Yeah…kind of like Clinton…”Define sexual relations…I don’t recall…blah blah blah.”


  51. Antagonist Says:

    #51

    Kind of like Kennedy with his emergency vote story. It’s quite amazing how you lefties will ignore his prescription drug addiction and relentlessly abuse Limbaugh for his.


  52. scanner Says:

    Juvinile sexual inuendo towards someone who is so far down in the cog business is not appropriate. Nor is the objectivization of any woman in the work place. Use your anger (and why would you be angry about something like this, save it for the something really bad, like still no armor) to actually accomplish something - write to HUD or your representative or your blog on myspace. Jeebus


  53. David in DC Says:

    scanner:

    Q: How many feminists does it take to change a lightbulb?
    A: There’s nothing funny about keeping women in the dark.


  54. ElectricBassPlayer Says:

    I agree with the previous sentiments.

    She may be attractive, she may be personally nice, she may even be a solicitous lover. . .

    But bottom line is, she’s willingly thrown in her lot with a criminal cabal. She’s already a proven dissembler. One can only hope that the reason she’s taking this sudden leave is because she doesn’t want to have to turn into an outright liar.

    Sorry, there are plenty of girls out there who want to do the right thing, who know the difference between right and wrong behavior, who are compassionate, who do not pervert Chrisitianity, and who are not a HAL 9000 ready to blow a gasket.

    (I just wish I could find one!)


  55. ReidBlog Says:

    Mr. Jackson if you’re nasty…

    How many working days until sorry, sorry HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson resigns, probably late on a Friday, too late to make the 6:00 news?…


  56. Ben Says:

    Actually she is much better looking in person. And to tell the truth, she is a pretty damn hard-worker and dedicated to whatever she does. I knew her in college and though we disagreed on everything (and I pretty much mean everything) I grew to like and respect her because she wasn’t all talk. She was one of the few that actually followed-through on things and did the things that needed to be done. I certainly would not call her a friend, but I did respect her.


  57. bob Says:

    anyone know what Mike Brown’s doing? Bet he’s only a phone call away


  58. ElectricBassPlayer Says:

    #60, Ben, as I said in a previous post, maybe the sudden vacation is because she is uncomfortable getting in the position where she knowingly has to tell a lie.

    In which case, good for her.



  59. Jay Randal Says:

    Well at least Ben admits he works for Karl Rove on here, since he knows Dustee > see post 59.


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