Another Potential Legal Problem for a Key Obama Administration Figure

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

Urban Affair

A government watchdog agency is asking the U.S. Attorney's Office to open a bribery investigation into White House urban czar Adolfo Carrión. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington cited reports by the New York Daily News focusing on Carrión's dealings while he was Bronx borough president.

The reports say numerous developers made tens of thousands of dollars in campaign donations to Carrión around the same time he was considering approval for their projects in the community. He also hired an architect to design a renovation on his home but in the two years since the job was completed, Carrión has not yet paid his $3,600 bill.

But, according to the report, in that interim he approved the designer's developments repeatedly, even subsidizing one project with taxpayer money. The White House has declined to comment on the matter except to say Carrión should pay his bill.

Party Crasher

Washington D.C. Democratic Mayor Adrian Fenty is bucking his party on the issue of school vouchers. Congressional Democrats have refused to keep funding the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program that permits underprivileged children in the district to attend private schools. Fenty tells the Washington Times: "Political leaders can debate the merits of vouchers, but we should not disrupt the education of children who are presently enrolled in private schools through the (program)."

President Obama has also indicated these vouchers should continue.

Southern Discomfort

Two South Carolina politicians continue to exchange fire with each other over the president's stimulus package. Democratic House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn tells Politico newspaper he detected a racial subtext in Republican Governor Mark Sanford's quip comparing the stimulus to Zimbabwe's economic policies. Sanford says the president's plan uses the same logic that led to hyperinflation in the struggling African nation. Joel Sawyer, spokesman for Gov. Mark Sanford, responded to the comments saying: "Representative Clyburn always plays the race card."

Piece of the Pi

And finally, have some pie on Saturday, March 14, says Congress. The House voted to acknowledge 3/14 on the calendar as "Pie Day."

But instead of the sweet treat, it is an ode to the Greek letter symbolizing the math constant that never really ends — but rounds out to 3.14.

Excited Congressman, Rep. Brian Baird, gushed to Politico: "I'm kind of geeked up about it." But Pennsylvania Democrat John Murtha admitted being a little confused — "We were never good at math in my family. I thought I was voting for P-I-E."

— FOX News Channel's Zachary Kenworthy contributed to this report.