According to The Hill, the Obama administration has ended its attempt to have the Census Bureau director report directly to the White House.

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke met with the Commerce Committee Chairman and ranking member to assure them that the census would not be under White House control and that ‘sampling’ would be used only as an accuracy check.

The article states that:

“It appears that now that a Democrat will lead the Commerce Department, concern over the census has dissipated.”

Somehow, I suspect there is a whole lot more to the story.  I would love to know what went on behind the scenes on this policy change.