Grassley sent the White House a letter on April 23, 2012 asking questions about the review conducted by the Office of the White House Counsel into allegations of involvement of White House staffers in the prostitution scandal.  Grassley has yet to receive a response from the President.

In a new letter sent to the White House late yesterday, Grassley renewed his original request and posed several more questions, including inquiries about contacts that White House personnel has had with the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General conducting a review of the Secret Service's involvement in the scandal.

Here is a copy of the text of Grassley's letter.  A signed copy can be found here. The April 23, 2012 letter can be found here.

September 20, 2012

Via Electronic Transmission

Kathryn H. Ruemmler

Assistant to the President and White House Counsel

Office of the White House Counsel

Executive Office of the President

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Washington D.C., 20500

Dear Ms. Ruemmler:

I write to follow up on a letter dated April 23, 2012 (attached), that I sent to you regarding the
"review" conducted by the Office of the White House Counsel into allegations of the involvement of White House staffers in the prostitution scandal that occurred in Colombia in April 2012.  In my letter, I sought information in response to statements by the White House press secretary, Jay Carney, that your office had reviewed these allegations and concluded that there was "no indication of any misconduct" by White House staffers.[1] Mr. Carney failed to elaborate further about the "review" conducted by your office.

In my letter, I asked you detailed questions regarding how you conducted this "review" and what specific conclusions you drew about White House staff involvement in this scandal.  I have yet to receive a response.  However, the White House spokesman quickly told the public, without further explanation, that he was confident that there was no such involvement.

Now more allegations have arisen regarding White House personnel procuring prostitutes during the President's trip to Colombia.  Yesterday, an article on Foxnews.com quoted an unnamed "high-ranking Secret Service official" as stating, "Three U.S. delegation members that stayed at the Hilton brought prostitutes back as overnight guests.  One of them was ours [Secret Service] and the other two were White House staffers."[2] Furthermore, according to the article, multiple law enforcement sources speculate that the forthcoming report to be issued by the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS/OIG) has been delayed in order to cover up this involvement by White House staff.

Accordingly, I request you respond to my questions in the April 23 letter, and also respond to the following additional questions:

1.      Has the White House been in contact with the DHS/OIG? If so, what has been the nature of that contact?

2.      Has the White House seen a copy of the draft DHS/OIG report?  Whether or not the White House has seen a copy of the report, is the White House aware of the findings of the report, specifically regarding the allegations of involvement of White House staffers?

3.      Has the White House had any input into the drafting of the report, including providing edits to the final version? If so, provide information regarding the nature of the edits.

4.      Was any contact between the White House and the DHS/OIG, including review and editing of the report, responsible for the delay in the DHS/OIG's meeting his target date of July 2, 2012 for release of the report?

5.      Has your office or any other office in the White House conducted a new review of the allegations in response to any findings by the DHS/OIG? If so, what did that new review consist of? What were its findings?

6.      Was the U.S. Secret Service aware of the alleged involvement of the White House staffers?  Have you been in contact with the U.S. Secret Service regarding these allegations? Has the U.S. Secret Service provided the DHS/OIG any information regarding these allegations?

7.      What will happen to these staffers if they are in fact found to have procured prostitutes while on official travel?

8.      If the report includes the findings that are being reported, how did your initial review fail to uncover the involvement of these staffers?  Do you concede that your initial review was performed in haste and without sufficient care?

9.      If the report includes the findings that are being reported, will Spokesman Carney issue a retraction or correction to his public comments denying any White House staff involvement?

Thank you for your prompt attention to this request. I would appreciate your response by September 27, 2012.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Grassley

Ranking Member

Attachment

[1] Steven T. Dennis. "WH Finds No Staff Involved in Secret Service Scandal." Roll Call.   April 23, 2012.

2 Jana Winter, "Probe of Secret Service Prostitution Scandal May Cite White House Advance Staff Involvement," Fox News.com, Sept. 19, 2012, available at http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/09/19/probe-may-cite-white-house-advance-team-involvement-in-prostitution-scandal/?test=latestnews.

Funding Helps Localities Create, Maintain 1,500 Jobs

Kansas City, KS - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today awarded Iowa $1,278,637 in grants to help public and assisted housing residents connect with local services to obtain education and training to find jobs.  The funding allows these local grantees to retain or hire 1,500 service coordinators to work directly with HUD-assisted families to connect them to the supportive services that meet their individual needs to become gainfully employed.

IOWA

"This funding ultimately links individuals to childcare, computer access, job training and other basic skills individuals need to compete for jobs that pay a living wage," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. "To continue to grow America's economy, we must see to it that every American has the skills and resources they need to become gainfully employed."

"These grants are a win for both the grantee and Iowa families who participate in HUD rental assistance programs," said Regional Administrator Derrith Watchman-Moore.  The grantee can keep or can hire an employee whose job is to help hundreds of individuals here find employment."

The funding announced today includes $15 million through the Public Housing-Family Self-Sufficiency Program (PH-FSS); and $60 million through the Housing Choice Voucher- Family Self-Sufficiency Program (HCV-FSS).

The service coordinators, retained or hired through both of these programs, work directly with residents to connect them with local organizations that provide education and job training and placement opportunities; as well as childcare, counseling, transportation and computer and financial literacy services available in their community.  Both programs encourage innovative strategies that link public housing and Housing Choice Voucher assistance with other resources to enable participating families to find employment; increase earned income; reduce or eliminate the need for rental and/or welfare assistance; and make progress toward achieving economic independence and housing self-sufficiency.

Participants in both programs sign a five-year contract that requires the head of the household to obtain employment and no longer receive welfare assistance at the end of the five-year term. As the family's income rises, a portion of that increased income is deposited in an interest-bearing escrow account. If the family successfully completes its FSS contract, the family receives the escrow funds that it can use for any purpose, including paying educational expenses, starting a business or paying debts.

The Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) Program is a long-standing resource for increasing economic security and self-sufficiency among participants.  HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research issued Evaluation of FSS Program: Prospective Study in 2011 that evaluated the effectiveness of the FSS Program. Conducted from 2005 to 2009, the study showed that financial benefits are substantial for participants who remain and complete the program. This study is the second of a three-part series that evaluates the effects of the FSS program.

The first study found individuals who participated in the FSS program fared better financially than those who did not enroll in the program.  PD&R is currently working on a follow-up evaluation to the Prospective Study that tracks the outcomes of people who were still enrolled in the program at the end of the study.  The third and final study looks at the effectiveness of the FSS program nationally. This will be the first national study of the FSS program and is part of HUD's Transformation Initiative that uses metrics and research to evaluate programs and gauge performance to encourage more transparency and accountability within the agency.

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HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and  transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and  http://espanol.hud.gov. You can also follow HUD on twitter @HUDnews, on facebook at www.facebook.com/HUD, or sign up for news alerts on HUD's News Listserv 

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack released the following statement today after the Republican led Congress closed up shop until November to go home and campaign. From August 3^rd through November 13^th, the House leadership only scheduled a total of eight days of voting, while a mountain of critical work was left on the table.  Among the issues that have not been dealt with include :

• Farm bill,
• Middle class tax cuts,
• Wind energy production credit,
• Sequestration,
• Comprehensive jobs package,
• Research and development credit,
• Violence Against Women Act,
• Postal reform,
• Sustainable growth rate,
• Biodiesel credit,
• Unemployment insurance,
• National Defense Authorization Act, and
• Expiration of Midwestern Area Disaster Bonds, to name a few.

"When the Republicans came into Congress two years ago they made a lot of promises, but in the end, all the American people got was a lot of hot air.

"Iowa farmers are suffering from the worst drought in decades and what has the Republican Congress done? Nothing.  Middle class families are facing a tax increase and what has the Republican Congress done? Nothing.  Iowa's wind energy economy is facing uncertainty and instability and what has the Republican Congress done? Nothing. Folks are still in need of finding work and what has the Republican Congress done? Nothing.  The list of inaction really does go on and on and on.

"The fact that Republican Leaders in Congress are putting the 'closed' sign on the door of the Capitol is just another one of the games they have continued to play, but frankly, it is just irresponsible.  There is too much critical work to get done before closing down.  I have been calling on Congress to remain in session since early this summer and I remain committed to getting done the work that Iowans are demanding."

'Courtroom in the Classroom' program illustrates government impact on students

CARBONDALE - September 21, 2012. As Constitution Week comes to a close in Illinois, Lt. Governor Sheila Simon brought a civics lesson to students at Carbondale Community High School. The "Courtroom in the Classroom" presentation in Carbondale is one of 225 like presentations that the Illinois Judges Association is sponsoring at Illinois high schools throughout the month.

"Each branch of our government has a very real impact on students throughout the state," said Simon, a former Jackson County prosecutor. "The Courtroom in the Classroom program helps to vividly make that connection and engage students in our democracy."

Judge Carolyn Smoot, Judge Christy Solverson and Supreme Court Justice Lloyd Karmeier joined Simon in leading a discussion on the U.S. Supreme Court case New Jersey v T.L.O.

The 1985 case involved a female student caught smoking in the school bathroom. The principal searched her purse and found marijuana, paraphernalia and money, implicating the student in drug dealing. The student claimed the search violated her 4th Amendment rights, but the court held that the search was reasonable.

"Not only have students found these presentations to be engaging and educational, but they have been fun," Solverson said. "I'm glad I have had the opportunity to share my work with these students, and I look forward to continuing to spread this message across the state."

Governor Pat Quinn declared September 17-23 as Constitution Week in Illinois in honor of the 225th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution. The declaration encourages Illinois residents to recognize the importance of the Constitution in our enduring tradition of democracy, and "reaffirm our commitment to the rights and responsibilities of citizenship."

The proclamation was presented to the Illinois Judges Association during a ceremony at the State Supreme Court on September 12.