Yesterday, as we reported, CREW "urged the Inspector General (IG) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) today to investigate a suspect contract the agency awarded to a company run by the husband of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).  The CB Richard Ellis Group (CBRE), chaired by Sen. Feinstein’s husband Richard Blum, won the contract with the FDIC last November to sell foreclosed properties inherited from failed banks. The company won the contract in an allegedly competitive bidding process although CBRE is a commercial real estate firm with relatively little experience selling foreclosed properties."

Today, the Washington Times has an article on our request -- and reports that Senator Feinstein would welcome an investigation by the FDIC Inspector General.  Great.  Then, get it done:

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a public watchdog group, urged the Inspector General's Office at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on Monday to investigate a contract that the agency awarded to a real estate firm headed by the husband of Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

CREW sent the letter in response to a report last Tuesday in The Washington Times, which disclosed that the CB Richard Ellis Group (CBRE), the firm headed by Ms. Feinstein's husband, Richard Blum, received a lucrative FDIC contract in November to sell foreclosed real estate from failed banks at compensation rates higher than industry norms.

In January, Ms. Feinstein, California Democrat, introduced legislation sought by the agency that would have routed $25 billion in taxpayer funds to the FDIC for a program to help prevent home mortgage foreclosures.

CREW is asking that Inspector General Jon T. Rymer launch an investigation into how the contract was awarded and the genesis of its terms, which the watchdog group said "reward CBRE at a much higher rate than is typical for these contracts."

• Click here to view the letter. (PDF)

"Senator Feinstein would welcome a review from the Inspector General, because there is no conflict of interest or wrongdoing," Feinstein spokesman Gil Duran said in response to the CREW letter.