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Olympics in new york deal involves hillary Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/local/story/22089p-20944c.htmlhttp://www.nydailynews.com/news/local/story/22089p-20944c.html
Hil's in hot water over Olympic chat
By MICHAEL SAUL in New York
and KENNETH R. BAZINET in Washington
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
The U.S. Olympic Committee has launched an inquiry into whether Sen. Hillary Clinton had improper contact with an Olympic official on behalf of New York City's bid to host the Games, an official said yesterday.
One day after the Daily News learned that Mayor Bloomberg's visit to Athens last week is being reviewed for possible improprieties, officials confirmed that an inquiry was underway into Clinton's contact with U.S. and International Olympic Committee member Anita DeFrantz, a 1976 bronze medalist in rowing.
"We're aware of it. It gets reviewed like everything else, so we'll review that, too," said U.S. committee spokesman Mike Moran.
Clinton and DeFrantz will be asked to explain what they discussed Sept. 6, when the Olympic official was the senator's guest for the special session of Congress at Federal Hall in Manhattan.
The two rode together in Clinton's car and sat together at a luncheon at the Regent Hotel. DeFrantz has said publicly that the two discussed New York's bid for the 2012 Olympics.
"We have not been apprised of any constraints on senators when it comes to promoting their states," said Clinton spokeswoman Karen Dunn.
The U.S. Olympic Committee has become ultrasensitive to the bidding rules since scandal marred the selection of Salt Lake City for the last Games.
One rule prohibits bid cities from contacting individual board members until Nov. 2-3, when the committee's board of directors meets to select the winner.
A testy Bloomberg, meanwhile, said he "did nothing inappropriate" by meeting with International Olympic Committee members in Athens. "I'm paid to be the mayor of New York City and to explain to the world why New York City is the greatest city in the world, with 8 million people that really care, and we will do everything we can to make this a better city," he said.
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