U. S. State Department investigators say the Chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors - Kenneth Tomlinson - misused government money as head of the organization which oversees the Voice of America and several other international broadcasting entities.
In a summary released Tuesday, investigators said Tomlinson, a political appointee, used his government office for personal business and improperly awarded a $250,000 contract to a friend. The summary said a criminal probe into the matter is not warranted, but a civil investigation into the awarding of the contract will be pursued.
Tomlinson - in a statement - said he believes the investigation was inspired by as he put it "partisan divisions inside the BBG", the acronym for the broadcasting board. He also said he is proud of what he has accomplished for U.S. international broadcasting.
President Bush has sent Tomlinson's renomination to the senate for another term as broadcasting board chairman. But three Democratic members of Congress who called for the investigation last year sent President Bush a letter Tuesday demanding that Tomlinson be removed from his position.
Tomlinson resigned as a board member of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting last year amid similar allegations. The CPB helps fund public television and radio in the United States.