Ney being pushed out.

“House Speaker Dennis Hastert has asked Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) to step down from his post as chairman of the House Administration Committee,” Hotline reports. Details on Ney’s connection to Abramoff here.

UPDATE: “According to GOP sources, Hastert and Ney have been holding talks this week, although the Ohio lawmaker has thus far declined to give up his gavel. … Although Hastert cannot unilaterally replace Ney in the House Administration post, he can ask for the Conference to vote to remove him [when it returns Feb. 2].”