The top Republican on the House Oversight and Government Reform committee is calling for an investigation into senior Transportation Department officials, claiming contact with an insurance agency may have unduly influenced a congressional investigation into faulty Toyotas.
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), is asking for a probe into the work of employees including Jill Zuckman, the Department’s top public affairs official and a former newspaper reporter, after subpoenaed e-mails show her conferring with a State Farm official about congressional testimony.
Issa wants the agency to investigate whether Zuckman's e-mails "acted outside the bounds of appropriate professional conduct."
In a letter to Calvin L. Scovell III, DOT’s inspector general, Issa said that the Transportation department’s conduct “may have influence[d] a third party’s communications with Congress during an active investigation.”
Zuckman, in the e-mails, which were obtained by POLITICO, told State Farm's senior director of external affairs that she “[wanted] to be sure I understand what you plan to say" in Congressional testimony "and that it’s consistent with the facts.”
A second DOT official also e-mailed State Farm writing to advise that, if questioned by the press, “it would be great if you could echo the fact that we were being responsive to complaints of safety problems." - Politico Story
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