Jackson ignored housing crisis, solicited ‘emergency bid’ for oil portrait of himself.
Jackson ignored housing crisis, solicited ‘emergency bid’ for oil portrait of himself.
This week, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Alphonso Jackson will be leaving office under a cloud of ethics investigations. But less examined than his corruption was his inattention to the housing crisis. During Jackson’s tenure, “foreclosures for loans insured by HUD’s Federal Housing Administration (FHA) have risen and default rates have hit a record high.” The Washington Post reports:
In late 2006, as economists warned of an imminent housing market collapse, housing Secretary Alphonso Jackson repeatedly insisted that the mounting wave of mortgage failures was a short-term “correction.”
He pushed for legislation that would make it easier for federally backed lenders to make mortgage loans to risky borrowers who put less money down. He issued a rule that was criticized by law enforcement authorities because it could increase the difficulty of detecting and proving mortgage fraud. [...]
They contend that Jackson ignored warnings from within his agency, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, whose inspector general told Congress that some of the secretary’s efforts were “ill-advised policy” and likely to put more families at risk of losing their homes.
At the same time, Jackson “launched a new $7 million auditorium and cafeteria” at HUD’s headquarters and used taxpayer money to solicit an “emergency bid to obtain oil portraits of Jackson and four other HUD secretaries.” He also insisted upon a personal chef and security detail.
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If he were the only Bush Administration appointee to leave the government under an ethical cloud, I might not care. But he’s not, is he?
April 13th, 2008 at 7:06 pmSo….
….typical
April 13th, 2008 at 7:07 pmBush administration in a nutshell:
April 13th, 2008 at 7:10 pmArrogance, incompetence and grandiosity
What a typical, “conservative” Bush White House, Brownie moment. As New Orleans was flooding and people dying, Brownie was emailing around for a suitable place to dine in the evening.
April 13th, 2008 at 7:24 pmOil paintings? Well, first things first I guess.
April 13th, 2008 at 7:26 pmHe sure is stuck on himself — for a pr!ck.
April 13th, 2008 at 7:27 pm.
Marie Antoinette was a saint in comparison… NO?
I’ll take my cake of $300.00 and live off those crumbs…
.
April 13th, 2008 at 7:35 pmDifferent stool!
Same old shit!
April 13th, 2008 at 7:39 pmHe did exactly what BushCo hired him to do. Bring down the agency, loot assets and betray the American people. In Bushite terms, he did a heckuva job and deserves a Medal of Freedom.
April 13th, 2008 at 7:57 pmI’m watching “60 Minutes”. Jackson is a piker compared to the various ministries in Iraq where individuals have apparently stolen more than half of the billion-dollar reconstruction fund. At least the money Jackson has squandered hasn’t yet made it into the hands of arsonists who burn down U.S. houses. In Iraq, our own money is funding the insurgents that GDumbya says we must stay there to defeat.
I am totally and utterly disgusted with this Keystone Kop administration!
April 13th, 2008 at 8:21 pmJackson committed crimes for profit who hasn’t in the Bush Administration. Being black doesn’t stop a person from being a criminal or even robbing other blacks. Look at Powell, Rice and even Obama. None could care less about their race but use it only when needed. Obama got Black votes by preaching the words of Dr. King. Powell signed a torture bill letting thousands of young soldiers die based on his lies. Connie using the church bombing as her tool while looking down on her race. Jackson will end up like Gonzales just another minority used by the Bush Administration. Notice all the Bush appointees who out right committed crimes and some even admitted to it, all have found good jobs even in law offices. Here’s Gonzales with a resume of a Judge/White House council/Attorney General but can’t find a job. Karl Rove got a job in a week, even convicted felon Scooter Libby has a job. Jackson and Gonzales might team up to sell fruit on a road stand.
Jackson might do as Powell and Rice are doing. Use the race card with Obama. Powell is looking to be Obama’s Defense Secretary, Connie Rice wants to be the Secretary of State who know Obama might put Jackson back in his job and make Al Gonzales the Attorney General again. Politics makes strange bed fellows. Richards is doing his best to get a job even without the Spanish support of voters. As long as Obama keeps selling that snake oil to American voters it could happen.
April 13th, 2008 at 8:24 pmJackie
April 13th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
You keep spouting the Obama hate. I’d like to see some proof of your allegations. Thanks.
April 13th, 2008 at 9:08 pmDoes this mean Jackson had a food taster? More hard evidence that this president, vice, and various others need to be impeached. Conservative my ass. My grandmother was a conservative, my mother also. Bushco are fascists–please look up the definition if you don’t already know it. And could my breakfast have been any more spoiled today than to see Grover Norquist featured in Solomon’s page in the NYT magazine. What a sorry sack of excrement. Now there is the one who needs to be thoroughly investigated (untouchable, unelected, puppetmaster). It will never happen. We only have one party now–CarvilleMatalin, or CarMat for short.
April 13th, 2008 at 9:38 pmMan oh man, he had the narcissistic apparatchik down pat didn’t. He just needed a another few months and he probably could have used his position to secure a nice dacha in the sticks.
April 13th, 2008 at 10:56 pmOT
Here is an interesting look at what is going on with the Clinton campaign regarding the negative tactics against Obama.
http://www.consortiumnews.com/Print/2008/041308.html
April 13th, 2008 at 11:09 pmJackie,
You sound like a racist. (And this is not the first post that smells of it.)
April 13th, 2008 at 11:12 pmTP, whatever you did to the site today, I like it. It’s easier to read. Thumbs up!
April 13th, 2008 at 11:13 pmThe VAIN is strong in this one.
April 13th, 2008 at 11:14 pmI’ve heard of an “emergency oil-enema”, but even that was a suspect prescription.
April 13th, 2008 at 11:21 pmWhat were the necessities here? A cabinet officer should be responsible enough not to waste the taxpayer’s money. Was it completely necessary to have a new auditorium and cafeteria? Were these additions within proper guidelines for the use of taxpayer monies? How does a cabinet officer merit a personal chef and personal security? Is this customary and how much does it cost? I would wonder about the emergency acquisition of portrait services and I would like to know why these were necessary. It does appear to me as a citizen and former federal employee that this man exceeded appropriate standards and I’d like to see the IG thoroughly investigate this matter. On the surface of it Mr. Jackson appears to have been living quite well and if it’s ok by law and/or ethics it shouldn’t be. I’d also like to know who had the contracts on the auditorium and the cafeteria as well as the protraits. I think there is a good chance these may be “friendly” transactions or some other contract improprieties exist. I am deeply disappointed in this man’s apparent arrogance.
April 13th, 2008 at 11:22 pmWell we can give the paintings to homeowners on the street for burning…
Tonight, on tHUD, it’s inaction Jackson!
April 13th, 2008 at 11:40 pmDieNowForPeace Says:
I’ve heard of an “emergency oil-enema”, but even that was a suspect prescription.
April 13th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
I bet you didn’t have that twice. ;)
April 13th, 2008 at 11:49 pmThe way Bushco has scraped, and scraped, and scraped the bottom of the barrel; is it any wonder his administration doesn’t hold water?
April 14th, 2008 at 12:31 amIt’s depressing to think that most (all?) of the Bush appointees have turned out to be immoral people. But the fish rots from the head down, so everyone can imagine how immoral our leaders are.
I believe one reason our “Democratic” Congress doesn’t act is because the members are in with the immoral crowd or are intimidated by its corruption and power over them.
A different kind of Mafia, but a Mafia nonetheless, is running things. These criminals pull the strings whether Republicans or Democrats are in office. Less so when Democrats run things but still pliable to what this criminal rich control group wants.
The common people need to take control of America and establish a government based on moral principles and the Constitution.
Limits must be put on wealth and business or rich megalomaniacs end up running things and usually destroy half the world before they’re finished.
April 14th, 2008 at 3:28 amsinge_101 Says:
“Well we can give the paintings to homeowners on the street for burning…”
I’m thinking we burn something else.
April 14th, 2008 at 3:38 amNews we can use.
http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=126576
Taliban grab coalition arms after drop
Coalition Helicopter Drops Weapons Into Taliban Hands, Afghan Officials Say
JASON STRAZIUSO
AP News
Apr 13, 2008 16:44 EST
A coalition helicopter trying to supply Afghan police with munitions dropped them in the wrong location and Taliban fighters later recovered the weaponry, an intelligence official said Sunday.
A member of parliament, however, said he did not believe the arms drop was an accident.
Amrullah Saleh, the head of Afghanistan’s intelligence service, told a parliament security committee “coalition forces” intended to place weapons, ammunition and food at a police checkpoint in a remote section of the southern province of Zabul in late March.
“By mistake it was dropped somewhere far from the checkpoint. Later the Taliban came and they picked it up,” Saleh told reporters after addressing the committee.
In his testimony, he said a “small box” had been dropped but did not say how many weapons were inside.
It was not clear whose helicopter left the supplies. NATO’s International Security Assistance Force and the U.S.-led coalition said it was not theirs.
Hamidullah Tukhi, a lawmaker from Zabul, told the security commission the weapons were placed 300 feet from the home of a Taliban commander named Mullah Mohammad Alam. He said the supply drop contained heavy machine guns, AK-47s, rockets and food.
Lawmakers discussed the issue with President Hamid Karzai and U.S. Gen. Dan McNeill, the top NATO commander in Afghanistan, he said.
“I think Gen. McNeill himself said that it was a mistake, but I don’t believe it,” Tukhi said, adding he did not know which nation dropped the supplies.
Saleh told journalists Tukhi’s version of events was based on “rumors.”
April 14th, 2008 at 4:20 amI love this comment above by Cal
“Bush administration in a nutshell:
Arrogance, incompetence and grandiosity”
I agree completely
badbush
April 14th, 2008 at 5:25 amhttp://www.badbush.com
Bush Administration LOW Requirements:
1. Very thin knowledge of your job.
2. Larger that Life Ego (commission portraits for wall of
shame)
3. Do Not Like Public Scrunity
4. Complete contempt for others that don’t think like you.
5. Nasty disposition when backed into a corner.
6. Under no circumstances ever admit your wrong.
7. Last but certainly not least; lie about everything. If
caught, leave job and spend time with family.
If you meet all of these qualifications, have we got a job for you.
April 14th, 2008 at 6:56 amIsn’t it the “peter priciple” that enables a person to rise to the highest level of incompetence?
April 14th, 2008 at 7:17 amApparently he has been promoted up and out before so, where is his next promotion going to be?
At the rate this admistration rewards incompetence he should be up for imperial ruler of the universe award.
In the World of Big Ideas, things like feasibility, accountability, reality and sticking to earth has a very low priority…
April 14th, 2008 at 8:28 amvinylspear Says:
Isn’t it the “peter priciple” that enables a person to rise to the highest level of incompetence?
I always thought of the Bush Administration followed the “Septic Tank Theory”.
April 14th, 2008 at 8:53 amThe biggest pieces float to the top.
Jackson’s “security detail” also involved a motorcade. He had both a “limo” and a “follow up” vehicle. 9 times out of 10, this motorcade is driving around DC with lights and sirens on.
And the motorcade ALWAYS arrives at social events with lights and sirens on, usually jumping to the head of the line if there are cars/cabs/other cabinet secretaries waiting.
April 14th, 2008 at 9:27 amWayne, I like your “septic tank” theory better, it’s all too true.
April 14th, 2008 at 10:41 am