RNC Chair Michael Steele Says FBI Winding Down Probe into Payment to Sister

Nothing like starting out your new job with a good Washington scandal.

By Henri E. Cauvin
Washington Post Staff Writer

WASHINGTON — Michael S. Steele, the new chairman of the Republican National Committee, said yesterday that there was nothing improper in a payment of more than $37,000 to his sister’s company for work on his 2006 Senate campaign and that he would work with the FBI “to clear up my good name.”
In his first public comments on the inquiry, Steele said on ABC’s “This Week” that the FBI is “winding this thing down,” although he did not explain how he knew that.
In recent days, federal agents have contacted his sister, Monica Turner, according to a spokesman for Steele. Steele said those contacts were for “purposes of closing out” the matter. He said he will be “proactive” in gathering information to give to the FBI.
“I’m not going to wait for them to come to me,” Steele said. “I’m going to take it to them. I’m going to give them everything that they think they need, and if that’s not enough, we’ll give them more, because I want to clear up my good name. This is not the way I intend to run the RNC, with this over my head. We’re going to dispense with it immediately.”
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