Friday was supposed to be a big day for Samuel Pierce, Ronald Reagan's Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Pierce had agreed to testify before the House subcommittee investigating charges that his department had a soft spot for well-connected Republicans who garnered huge fees for helping developers land multimillion-dollar federal housing contracts. But Pierce, known as Silent Sam, decided to live up to the name. He informed the panel, headed by California's Democratic Congressman Tom Lantos, that he was canceling his appearance. He said his newly hired lawyers needed more time to prepare.
Pierce's sudden withdrawal drew bipartisan fire. Lambasting him...
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