Are GOP(Jackson) political contract awards illegal under procurement law?

[papau]

Jackson recently told a real estate forum that a government-approved advertising contractor expressed displeasure with President Bush and then did not get awarded the government contract for which it was selected - and may thereby have violated the Constitution's prohibitions on government retaliation of speech as well as federal procurement law.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/09/AR2006050901593.html

Costly Words: 'I Don't Like President Bush'

By Al Kamen Wednesday, May 10, 2006; A23

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson was back home in Dallas on April 28 giving a speech to minority real estate folks and offering a most interesting take on how business is done in Washington.<snip>

"Because it was not awarded per what the secretary said, we don't have any record of it," Tucker said. "It was probably all verbal at that point." Tucker didn't return calls yesterday. But Democrats, led by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (N.J.), called for Jackson's head.
Aside from violating the Constitution's prohibitions on government retaliation for speech, we're told Jackson's peculiar view may violate federal procurement law, which requires "complete impartiality and . . . preferential treatment for none."