Just in this hour via Breitbart/AP:

Rep. Ney to Temporarily Cede Panel Chair

By DAVID HAMMER
Associated Press Writer

Rep Bob Ney, an Ohio Republican implicated in a lobbying corruption investigation, will step aside temporarily as chairman of the House Administration Committee, his spokesman said Sunday.

He said the congressman needed a few days to think about the decision after word got out Friday that he was in negotiations with House Speaker Dennis Hastert to relinquish the post.

“Congressman Ney continues to believe he will be vindicated and he hasn’t done anything wrong,” spokesman Brian Walsh said Sunday.

Ney is at the center of the Justice Department’s ongoing corruption probe and was identified by lobbyist Jack Abramoff in his guilty plea earlier this month.

The Administration Committee controls disclosures of lobbying practices and would be a key part of efforts to reform the system.

Walsh said Ney did not want to become a distraction as the Republican Party tries to reform Congress’ relationship with lobbyists and special interests.

Ney will maintain his chairmanship of a Housing subcommittee, Walsh said.

A GOP leadership aide said Friday that Hastert was pressuring Ney to step aside because he believes it would be inappropriate for him to head the committee with jurisdiction over the Republican reform agenda.

Ney said after that disclosure Friday that he was thinking about stepping aside because he did not want to get in the way of Congress continuing its work.

The GOP aide, who spoke Friday on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of private talks between Ney and Hastert, said the speaker himself could not fire Ney, and unless Ney stepped aside it would be at least three weeks until the GOP caucus could consider removing him…

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Kathryn Lopez has posted Ney’s statement at The Corner.

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