TOPICS
TOPICS
White House briefs Hill aides on IG dismissal
Trying to assuage concerns about President Obama's dismissal of the AmeriCorps inspector general late last week, White House officials have briefed Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee staffers and are expected to hold another meeting with aides, said Capitol Hill sources.
Aides to Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., and ranking member Susan Collins, R-Maine, requested more information about the dismissal after last week's abrupt announcement that Gerald Walpin, a watchdog who had recently alleged misuse of AmeriCorps funds by an organization founded by one of Obama's political allies, would be suspended with pay from his post at the Corporation for National and Community Service.
A committee aide said there have been "near daily" discussions with White House officials, most recently on Monday, regarding the timing of the Obama administration's notice to Congress that Walpin would be fired, as well as the underlying reasons for Walpin's removal.
"The White House has been forthcoming," said the aide. "They're trying to work with us on this."
Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, sounded the alarm about Walpin's dismissal Thursday, saying Obama might have compromised the independence of all IGs by the move. His staff has been in close contact with the White House Office of Legislative Affairs regarding the matter.
Grassley has asked the head of the Corporation for National and Community Service to provide "any and all records, e-mail, memoranda, documents, communications or other information" that his agency had with the office of First Lady Michelle Obama, whose former chief of staff will join the agency as a senior advisor later this month."
Lawmakers have raised concerns about whether the president failed to follow the letter and spirit of the Inspector General Reform Act enacted last year, which requires that the president give Congress 30 days notice before terminating an IG.
The administration points to concerns raised by acting U.S. Attorney Lawrence Brown -- a Bush administration appointee -- about Walpin's conduct during an investigation involving Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, an Obama friend.
Walpin, named to his post in 2007 by then-President George W. Bush, accused Johnson of misusing over $800,000 in AmeriCorps funding granted to a nonprofit organization that Johnson helped to run.
The matter has been referred to an independent federal council that oversees inspectors general.
"For obvious reasons, we won't get into details of a personnel decision like this, but I can tell you that the president lost confidence in Mr. Walpin's performance," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Thursday.
Walpin claims he was blindsided by a call from White House ethics chief Norm Eisen Wednesday, in which he was informed that he must decide within an hour to resign or be terminated. The White House informed members of Congress that Walpin would be removed in letters sent the following morning.
On the other side of the Capitol, majority and minority staffs of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee are requesting answers from the White House regarding the dismissal.
Oversight and Government Reform ranking member Darrell Issa, R-Calif., wrote to White House Counsel Gregory Craig Tuesday to request documentation explaining why Walpin was dismissed. Issa has requested communications between the White House counsel's office and the Justice Department regarding Walpin by June 26.
COMMENTS
- What's to brief? Why this Administration failed to follow the requirements of the law by firing IG Walpin without first providing 30 day written notice to Congress with the stated cause? This was not the only IG to be "purged" this week, and probably not the last. Let's see who gets nominated to be the next CNCS (AmeriCorps) Inspector General, another Czar from Chicago? Thomas Debouch Posted June 18, 2009 11:29 PM
- Hey go after 1 of michelles buddies catch him dirty to the tune of $750,000 and the IG gets canned not the crook. Only in Chicago dan m ketter Posted June 18, 2009 10:27 PM
- Oh my Lawd, Tuck, talk about rewriting history… I read, “Someone keep track of the number of people that Obama puts in these type organizations over the next few months.” No single president, since the elimination of the “Spoils System”, appointed as many folks into non-competitive positions as did King Shrub. The GovExec article “Transition could create leadership void, report says” dated May 6, 2008 pointed out: “There are roughly 7,800 political positions, half of which are part-time jobs on boards and commissions” and… “The remaining positions include 1,200 appointments requiring Senate confirmation, 1,400 Schedule C officials, 800 noncareer senior executives and 800 members of the new White House staff.” “President Bush named 12 percent more political appointees and 33 percent more Schedule C appointees than President Clinton.” Man, the Body Politic was so thick with fleas and ticks I’m not surprised in the least it took this long for the POTUS to eliminate one more. He probably wouldn’t have if the man and be present, accounted for, and competent; but, still, the entire story is not yet out. I don’t believe he’ll ever totally repair the damage. And then I read, “Just like the silencing of staff/general Officers.” Try reading the New York Times “More Retired Generals Call for Rumsfeld's Resignation”, Apr 14, 2006, and guess who resigned or retired; definitely NOT The Donald! The Shrub administration shut down the military leadership and caused quite a few resignations. If you don’t like the Times, like Tom, just Google any number of sources for “generals retire Rumsfeld”. Tip off Posted June 18, 2009 2:51 PM
