Rep. Bob Ney announced today he will temporarily resign as Chair of the House Administration Committee.

Ney is at the center of the Justice Department's ongoing corruption probe and has been identified as the congressman referenced by Abramoff in his guilty plea earlier this month.....The Administration Committee that Ney headed controls disclosures of lobbying practices and would be a key part of efforts to reform the system.

A GOP leadership aide said Friday that House Speaker Dennis 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.

No question, Ney was pressured by Hastert. He's also likely to be indicted. Has he already begun cooperating with the Government?

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