So, according to today's Washington Post, the federal Housing and Urban Development may have revoked local housing funds as political retaliation on behalf of Kenny Gamble:

After Philadelphia's housing director refused a demand by President Bush's housing secretary to transfer a piece of city property to a business friend, two top political appointees at the department exchanged e-mails discussing the pain they could cause the Philadelphia director.

"Would you like me to make his life less happy? If so, how?" Orlando J. Cabrera, then-assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, wrote about Philadelphia housing director Carl R. Greene.

"Take away all of his Federal dollars?" responded Kim Kendrick, an assistant secretary who oversaw accessible housing. She typed symbols for a smiley-face, ":-D," at the end of her January 2007 note.

Cabrera wrote back a few minutes later: "Let me look into that possibility."

Crazy, huh?

This week, Greene sent copies of the e-mails to Sens. Arlen Specter (R) and Robert P. Casey Jr. (D) of Pennsylvania. Greene called the e-mails evidence of HUD's retribution for his refusal to give public property to Gamble. He urged the senators to demand that Jackson and his deputies explain their motives. Jackson is set to testify about HUD matters today before the Senate Banking Committee.

Casey said that he has "serious questions" about the e-mails and that "80,00 low-income Philadelphians deserve answers."

Right on Casey (for once). You can read the article yourself for more details. Basically it's about the crazy Bush administration strong-arming PHA on behalf of Gamble's Universal Homes (it's not clear from the article whether Gamble sanctioned HUD folks cutting off funds to PHA).

This is a great, crystal clear example of not only why we need to boot out the Republicans (particularly these Bush people) in 2008, but also why we need to nominate the Dem who has the best grasp of urban policy issues.

Talk about political gamesmanship--cutting off millions in funds to deal with a severe affordable housing crisis in Philadelphia for the sake of a lot? Jeez.