Yes, from the top. There I said it, where else is it coming from?
Ever since the termination of Gerald Walpin, IGs are walking on egg shells, powerless and in fear of losing their job if they dare do their job and Americans should be concerned. Obama and his minions do not have the right to thwarts our IGs from doing their jobs. Rules and regulations, checks and balances are put into place for a reason. However, as the nation is witnesssing, such rules, regulations, checks and balances mean nothing to Obama.
“The mounting evidence that there might be political interference with the IGs is disturbing,’ said Pete Sepp, vice president for policy and communications at the National Taxpayers Union. ‘The IGs are being emasculated.’
When inspectors general across the administration have roadblocks placed in their way, American taxpayers should worry. A threat to one’s independence is a threat to them all,” said Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas.”
A message is clearly being sent to Inspector Generals to “chill out” or “lose out.” That same message if allowed to go unchallenged will spread like a virus across America. After all, this is the mentality of our President.
“A handful of inspectors general are looking for work this summer after being dismissed following the issuance of critical reports about the agencies they monitor.
Among the recent firings are:
–Gerald Walpin, who was fired in June as IG for the Corporation for National and Community Service, which runs the Americorps program. He was one of 30 IGs appointed by former President George W. Bush. Walpin was responsible for a major investigation into the misuse of federal grant funds by St. HOPE Academy, a non-profit founded and run by former NBA star and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, a supporter of President Obama. Critics say Walpin’s firing was politically motivated, while the White House has issued documents suggesting he was unfit for the position.
– Fred Weiderhold Jr., who announced his retirement in June as inspector general at Amtrak, about the same time he handed Congress a 94-page report claiming that Amtrak lawyers had frequently tried to stymie his investigations by redacting and withholding documents and preventing interviews with Amtrak employees. Amtrak officials say Weiderhold’s retirement arrangements came before, not after his damning report. Nonetheless, the top Democratic and Republican members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee are investigating.
–Judith Gwynne, who was acting IG at the International Trade Commission, and was fired this month, coincidentally after Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, known as the patron saint of IGs, wrote her boss, ITC Chairwoman Shara Aranoff, a Bush appointee, about potential agency obstruction in Gwynne’s investigation into contractor activities. Gwynne had accused commission officials of forcibly removing from her hands procurement files essential to her investigation. An ITC spokeswoman told FOXNews.com that the commission has responded formally to Grassley, but will not comment further on Gwynne, a career employee who was appointed by agency officials in 2008.
Meanwhile, Neil M. Barofsky, the inspector general in charge of overseeing the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program recently expressed concern when Treasury Department officials informed him the department had legal authority over his office. Barofsky said such an arrangement could threaten his independence and ability to access documents relating to the bailout of the financial sector. The matter is currently being sorted out by the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel.”
Yes, the IGs have received the message loud and clear, Herr Obama and so have the rest of us, but I don’t do that type of chilling. I rather enjoy my freedom of speech, expression and calling politicians out. It makes my day.
