Head of Broadcasts Board Survives Effort to Oust Him

HEAD OF BROADCAST BOARD SURVIVES EFFORT TO OUST HIM
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Stephen Labaton]
Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, the embattled chairman of the federal board that oversees most government broadcasts to foreign countries, narrowly survived an effort to oust him on Wednesday. After a recent report by the inspector general at the State Department that Mr. Tomlinson had used his office to run a horse-racing operation and that he had improperly put a friend on the payroll, the three Democratic members of the seven-member Broadcasting Board of Governors offered two resolutions. One resolution called for his resignation as chairman during a continuing inquiry; the other sought to curtail his authority sharply. The Justice Department has declined to pursue a criminal investigation but is conducting a related civil inquiry. Both resolutions failed 3 to 3 on party-line votes. Mr. Tomlinson did not participate in the votes, people involved in the closed-door session said. Mr. Tomlinson has denied doing anything improper and had said the investigation “was inspired by partisan divisions inside the Broadcasting Board of Governors.” Mr. Tomlinson, whose term has expired, has been nominated for a second term and continues to have the support of the White House. Republicans in the Senate said that in light of the continuing inquiry, they would not bring his nomination to the floor this year. Under federal law, board members may continue to serve past the expiration of their appointments until successors are named.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/14/washington/14broadcast.html
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