For immediate release: Friday, July 9, 2010
Contact: Oversight and Government Reform Press Office, (202) 225-5051

Rep. Towns to Hold Brooklyn Hearing to Examine Census Fraud at the Brooklyn North East Local Census Office

Washington – Rep. Edolphus “Ed” Towns (D-NY, NY-10), chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, today announced that he will hold a hearing on Monday, July 19, 2010 in Brooklyn, New York, to examine a recent incident involving two senior managers at the Brooklyn North East Local Census Office who were fired for fraudulently completing census surveys.  The hearing entitled, "Is Brooklyn Being Counted? -  Problems with the 2010 Census" will feature testimony from the Census Director, the New York Regional Census Director and the Commerce Department Inspector General and will also examine the steps the Census Bureau is taking to ensure the accuracy of the 2010 count.

“Given my commitment to the success of the 2010 Census, this recent problem is particularly troubling,” said Chairman Towns.  “Any attempt to compromise the integrity of the census is simply unacceptable given what is at stake for our community.  I am holding this hearing to ensure that the Census Bureau is following all of the necessary steps to accurately count every resident in Brooklyn.”

Chairman Towns’ committee is the main congressional committee charged with oversight of the Census, and he has been committed to ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the 2010 Census, as well as ensuring the Census Bureau does everything possible to reach out to hard-to-count populations.  Last month, upon hearing disturbing constituent reports of how then-employees at the Brooklyn office used unauthorized data to complete thousands of Census questionnaires, Rep. Towns opened an investigation into the allegations.

The hearing will be held on Monday, July 19, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. in the courtroom of Brooklyn Borough Hall, located at 209 Joralemon Street, Brooklyn, NY. Doors open at 9:00 a.m. to credentialed members of the media and to the general public.

The witnesses invited to testify are:

Dr. Robert M. Groves
Director
U.S. Census Bureau

Mr. Todd J. Zinser
Inspector General
U.S. Department of Commerce

Mr. Lester A. Farthing
Regional Director
U.S. Census Bureau
NY Regional Census Center

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