NASA chief cleared of one charge in a different, minor Tom DeLay scandal

[Ian David]

NASA Chief Cleared in One Probe, Florida Spaceport Faulted in Another
By Mike Schneider
Associated Press Writer
posted: 30 January 2007
11:22 a.m. ET

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (AP) – A federal watchdog agency has closed its investigation into whether NASA's chief administrator violated the law when he urged an audience to support former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.

But the Office of Special Counsel sent a warning letter to NASA Administrator Michael Griffin, saying he should have used better judgment, even if he did not break a law against using official authority to influence an election.

“Everybody needs to abide by these prohibitions, but we expect high level officials to provide a better example,'' the agency said in the letter.

Separately, the agency found that NASA officials did violate the law when they allowed a speech by Sen. John Kerry at the Kennedy Space Center to be broadcast and played over the Internet to workers at the facility. Kerry was running for president at the time, in July 2004.

Because NASA officials were given incorrect legal advice allowing the broadcast, their only punishment will be to educate their work force and contractors about the law, the agency said.

More:
http://www.space.com/news/ap_070130_nasa_probes.html