Probe finds possible HUD favoritism

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Federal investigators said the top U.S. housing official urged favoritism by staffers when awarding contracts, but found no direct proof that they did so.

The chief of staff for Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson reportedly told investigators that Jackson intervened with contractors he didn't like, the Washington Post said Friday. The newspaper said it obtained a copy of the report, which has not been released to the public.

The document was released to Jackson and to members of Congress who requested it, the Post said.

The report said the investigation didn't show any practice of awarding contracts based on political affiliation, but "there were some limited instances where political affiliation may have been a factor in contract issues involving Jackson," the Post said.

Awarding contracts based on party affiliation violates federal law.

Calls for an investigation came after Jackson said publicly that he had killed a contract award to a firm after its chief told Jackson he disliked President George W. Bush, the Post said. Jackson later told investigators that he lied, the Post said.

Jackson said the investigation cleared him, the Post reported.