From The Sunday Times
July 20, 2008

President Bush lobbyist Stephen Payne in ‘bribes’ row quits

Cash for access at the White House is under scrutiny by Congress

Daniel Foggo and Steven Swinford

An American government adviser and lobbyist, caught offering access to top White House figures in exchange for a $250,000 (£126,000) donation towards President George W Bush’s private library, has resigned following the launch of a congressional inquiry into the scandal.

Stephen Payne, who has close links to the White House, had to relinquish his seat on the advisory council to the Department of Homeland Security following an exposé in The Sunday Times last weekend.

It has also since emerged that Payne had made misleading statements about his business dealings relating to another aspect of the “cash for accessâ€