Payne’s ‘percieved bribery’ costed him to get booted from DHS post.

Thinkprogress:

Stephen Payne, a “GOP lobbyist and fundraiser with close ties to the White House has quit a Homeland Security Department advisory committee following allegations of influence peddling and quid pro quo donations to the Bush presidential library,” UPI reports:

Department spokeswoman Laura Keehner confirmed to United Press International that Stephen Payne was asked to resign. […]

“The department asked him to step down” from his post on the Secure Borders and Open Doors Subcommittee of the Homeland Security Advisory Council, Keehner said, declining to comment on the reasons.

[Payne] said he had resigned from the advisory council because “under the current circumstances there will be too many distractions for me to successfully focus on (its) important work.”

Both DHS and the House Oversight Committee have opened investigations into Payne’s activities. The watchdog group CREW is urging the Justice Department to open a criminal investigation into Payne and his relationship with the Bush administration. (HT: TPM)