Pelosi Urges Hastert: Support Investigation b/w Ney & Abramoff

[texpatriot2004]

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=55389

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21, /U.S. Newswire/ -- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to Speaker Dennis Hastert yesterday urging him to join her in requesting the Acting Inspector General of the House investigate the selection of Foxcom Wireless to provide services to the House in light of recent news reports alleging Congressman Bob Ney, Chairman of the House Administration Committee, selected them as a result of his relationship with lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

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The text of the letter follows:

October 20, 2005

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Dear Mr. Speaker:

In light of the disturbing allegations regarding Chairman Ney that are contained in Tuesday's Washington Post, I am writing to ask that we join together in a bipartisan request to the Acting Inspector General of the House to conduct an immediate and thorough inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the selection by the House of Representatives of Foxcom Wireless to provide antenna services within the Capitol and House Office Buildings to the relevant to cell phone service providers.

I have attached the article to which I refer. It alleges, and cites actual sources in support thereof, that Mr. Ney, the Chair of the committee that provides policy direction to the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, directed that office to designate Foxcom Wireless, a company with ties to Mr. Abramoff, as the sole provider of antenna repeater services to the companies providing cell phone service to the House. The article further alleges that the so-called ballots sent to cell phone service providers by the House seeking their recommendations regarding the choice of an antenna company were tampered with.

These are serious charges affecting the very operations of the House of Representatives. Two weeks ago, I wrote to you to urge you to join me in asking the Ethics Committee to select a Staff Director without further delay and immediately begin its investigative activities. Given the seriousness of the allegations against Mr. Ney, I do not believe it appropriate to defer action. Until the Ethics Committee initiates an inquiry, the Office of Inspector General is the appropriate investigative authority.

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