Not Just Walpin - 3 IG Firings Being Questioned

Another update: A witness to Walpin-gate. The Wash. Times isn't buying it. It is pretty thin gruel.

(Just a note -- Why are we reading about this in the Chicago Tribune? Perhaps his local paper doesn't have an Oba-worship problem?) Just a thought.

Update: Moe Lane with a little more background.

This is interesting. I looked around and perhaps I missed it on another blog, but the Chicago Tribune reports that it isn't just Walpin's firing over which Senator Grassley wants some answers. He's worried about a pattern, as no fewer than three IG's have recently been fired, all while investigating so-called sensitive issues. See Michelle for the latest on Walpin.

The dispute comes as Grassley, ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, is looking into the abrupt firings within the last week of two other inspectors general one of whom was fired by the White House and the other by the chair of the International Trade Commission.

 Both inspectors general had investigated sensitive subjects at the time of their firings.

Grassley is now concerned about whether a pattern is emerging in which the independence of the government's top watchdogs -- whose jobs were authorized by Congress to look out for waste, fraud and abuse -- is being put at risk.

One of the other IGs is Neil Barofsky, tasked with watching over the financial stimulus spending. The article raises questions as to whether or not the Obama administration is trying to stymie an investigation with dubious claims of attorney-client privilege.

He was appointed with fanfare as the public watchdog over the government's multi-billion dollar bailout of the nation's financial system. But now Neil Barofsky is embroiled in a dispute with the Obama administration that delayed one recent inquiry and sparked questions about his ability to freely investigate.

The disagreement stems from a claim by the Treasury Department that Barofsky is not entirely independent of the agency he is assigned to examine - a claim that has prompted a stern letter from a Republican senator warning that agency officials are encroaching on the integrity of an office created to protect taxpayers.

Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, sent the letter Wednesday to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner demanding information about a "dispute over certain Treasury documents" that he said were being "withheld" from Barofsky's office on a "specious claim of attorney-client privilege."

The third instance involves an acting IG for the International Trade Commission, Judith Gwynne, who has been told her contract would not be renewed amid allegations that an ITC employee forcibly took documents from her possession. Just three hours after Grassley sent along his letter asking questions, she was told she'd be hitting the road in July when her contract is up. Well, well, well.

Separately this week, the International Trade Commission told its acting inspector general, who is not subject to White House authority, that her contract would not be renewed.

Grassley had become concerned about her independence because of a report earlier in the year that an agency employee forcibly took documents from the acting inspector general.

"It is difficult to understand why the ITC would not have taken action to ensure that the ITC inspector general had the information necessary to do the job," Grassley wrote on Tuesday.

Less than three hours after the letter was e-mailed to the agency, the acting IG, Judith Gwynne, was told that her contract, which expires in early July, would not be renewed.

Comments

[GM Roper]

Dear Dan,
I'm somewhat surprised that you would post anything questioning the integrity of anyone in this Administration. You realize of course that we will now have to put you under close observation as a possible domestic terrorist in as much as you have chosen to denigrate the ones working for the Won!

Seriously, it almost sounds like a vast criminal enterprise Chicago Style. Richard Nixon ought to have a little rehabilitation now that the Won is in the WH. Wonder if the outcomes will be similar?

[Dan Riehl]

lol I don't know, GM - it sounds racist of you to bring it up. Shhh

[Joseph Brown]

Where did I put my swatika armband....?

[gary gulrud]

The last year's of the One's presidency are taking shape:

An outsider, his failed policies garner opposition from a newly divided Legislature, even from within his party. At same time criminal investigations into the administration of those policies gain momentum and begin to dominate public attention.

[Korla Pundit]

>An outsider, his failed policies garner opposition from a newly divided Legislature, even from within his party. At same time criminal investigations into the administration of those policies gain momentum and begin to dominate public attention.

Sounds like Nixon.

[drjohn]

Dan

Can Obama fire you? ;-)

[Dan Riehl]

He doesn't pay me, DJ - Don't qualify, I get to pay taxes instead!

[xerocky]

He's trying to push his power and influence into places where it doesn't belong.

It's been a problem straight through his career. Every time he held an office, before he understood the mechanics of how to work that office within the system, he sought an office that held more power. He never did the time or the work to understand the system that he was working in.

Now he sits in the Whitehouse, and he's deleting the system of checks and balances. The only thing he seems to want to accomplish with this is the distribution of money to his friends.

This is no longer a scandal, it's a third world style coup.

[Ken Hahn]

Waste, fraud and abuse are the goal of this regime. Inspectors General will either approve any and every corrupt behavior or they will be replaced.

[xerocky]

There's another point to consider in this, think of our creditors. What do THEY think about stimulas money going toward local politicians who have already been proven corrupt and utterly unable to account for thier actions? Do you think for a second that they're going to continue to lend to us knowing that Kevin Johnson is the people that were giving the money to? What are they going to do, sue China for being racist and force them to lend to the United States? Aint gonna work.

China and Russia are already ganging up on the dollar.

[Marc Malone]

I hope Walpin sues to keep his job by claiming that his firing was illegal. That'd really bring this into the mainstream awareness.

[joseph lausier]

Sounds like an impeachable offense. Anybody like to set up a pool as to when Obummer gets his comeupance.

[Marie from AZ]

It appears the "CHANGE" will be coming soon,the messiah is tripping over his "holier than thou" robe.

[katablog.com]

It appears the "CHANGE" will be coming soon,the messiah is tripping over his "holier than thou" robe. We can only HOPE, but I doubt it.

[Edie Boudeau]

Who has to start the process for Impeachment. Obama has already earned his removal several times over. If it is Congress, the people are in trouble, and they should all be replaced too.

[Pat Blankenship]

Impeachment sounds good to me. This gangster and all his thugs need to go.