Ney under pressure to resign chairmanship
(AP)
Updated: 2006-01-14 09:47

House Speaker Dennis Hastert is trying to force out Ohio Representive Bob Ney as chairman of the House Administration Committee, a week after Ney was linked in Justice Department documents to a bribery scheme, a senior House aide said Friday.
The scheme involved convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Ney's committee has jurisdiction over the Republican reform agenda in the wake of the Abramoff scandal, and Hastert believes it is inappropriate to let Ney run it, said the Republican leadership aide, who spoke of anonymity because of the negotiations between Ney and the speaker.

The aide said the speaker himself cannot fire Ney, and unless Ney steps aside it would be at least three weeks until the Republican caucus, on holiday break, could consider removing him.

Ney continues to argue he has done nothing wrong. But a Republican close to Ney said he would evaluate what is best for the Republican conference. The congressman was in New Orleans on Friday for a hearing on housing needs in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and could not be reached immediately for comment.

Hastert's spokesman, Ron Bonjean, confirmed that "there have been ongoing discussions between Speaker Hastert and Rep. Ney about his role as chairman of the House Administration Committee."

The development comes after Abramoff's plea agreement this month in an influence peddling scandal involving members of Congress.

Among other accusations, Abramoff said Ney took favors including a 2002 golf trip to Scotland, free dinners and events and campaign donations in exchange for his support of Abramoff's American Indian tribe clients in Texas and the lobbyist's purchase of a fleet of Florida casino boats.

Court papers released as part of Abramoff's plea to charges of conspiracy, mail fraud and income tax evasion detailed lavish gifts and contributions that Abramoff says he gave an unnamed House member, identified elsewhere as Ney, a Republican from Ohio.

Other accusations include that Ney supported legislation to help a California Indian tribe with taxes and a post office and, as chairman of the Administration Committee, approved a lucrative deal to improve cell phone reception in House buildings.