GovernmentExecutive.com

Return to Article: Lieberman: White House was justified in firing AmeriCorps IG

• 80955
  

  Just part of the Chicago thuggery that barak grew up with. This guy will quickly find himself impeached if he keeps it up

  dan m ketter Posted June 22, 2009 1:15 PM
• 80950
  

  LN: You talk about civility. But, in the next breath, you accuse Mr. Walpin of being senile, and having dementia.

  Let me assure you, I have seen dementia up close and personal, in my Grandfather. I saw Mr. Walpin in an interview last week, and there was NOT ONE similarity.

  And, I doubt the "details" will ever come out.

  Bottom line, this particular IG firing was NOT given the 30-day congressional notice. Why not, LN?

  me Posted June 22, 2009 1:08 PM
• 80935
  

  Jimbo, no, no one is all knowing. I think it would nice to show some manners and civility though. The President of the United States deserves some respect. By definition, Obama = evil for you and for that i am truly sorry. I gave Bush the benefit of the doubt and on something far more serious, WMDs. Figured he had access to information I did not, and Colin Powell closed the deal. But, lesson learned there. When Obama does something to that degree, then i will join you in your opposition. But until then??? take a pill and wait for the facts to come out as they always, always do. As i said before, we will soon learn in excruciating detail how senile that IG was. And if you've never witnessed dementia upclose, they don't know what they do from one minute to the next. Lucid one week, off the next. So, i was simply offering that the lack of "detail" may have simply been, discretion. If proven false then my bad. but until then...

  LN Posted June 22, 2009 11:10 AM
• 80926
  

  I agree with Ed that Walpin was forced out because he investigated Obama's friends. I don't believe the propaganda against Walpin. Of course Lieberman is going to agree with the president, he's a Democrat! As I said before I think the Democrats checked out their brain when Obama came in office, none of them can think for themselves and are proving to be "Yes" people (the political correct version)! Obama is micromanaging everything!

  I do not agree with a possible change every 4 years or to be a wise decision for the President or Congress to control the IGs. The IGs should be independent of any political office and person (how else would we get an unbiased opinion?) This would cause too much disruption and corporate knowledge would be lost. I also see this as a political move and allowing a President to have too much control. I see these positions changes during a Presidential election as a disruption and weakening of our position among the world leaders and as an open invitation for another attack on our country. I do not recommend these positions to be under the whim of Congress and the President. There are more important issues facing our Nation now such as getting the many Americans who are without jobs back to work as Obama promised during his campaign. The Stimulus cannot help them because they cannot save their homes from foreclosure if they do not have jobs!

  B Schell Posted June 22, 2009 10:31 AM
• 80919
  

  Just does not pass the smell test!! Unfortunately this has been the usual lately. Just another reason his numbers are going down.

  Dr B Posted June 22, 2009 10:07 AM
• 80907
  

  LN- They used discretion. OBAMA is all knowing to you. It is pathetic that the IG was investigating one of OBAMAs closest allies and get fired and you think thats OK. No matter what he does that will be OK to you. The rules are that if you want to remove an IG you have to go through congress but he didnt want to do it that way. He wanted it Chicago style and that is OK to you. People are pathetic.

  Jimbo Posted June 22, 2009 9:09 AM
• 80900
  

  REspectfully disagree with Senator Lieberman! IG's are uniquely positioned to require the highest standards of ethics and integrity in those firing them for "CAUSE" as the statute requires. Also the interested public should be provided a factual account of the reasons for the firing of any IG and the IG given an opportunity to comment on the record with respect to his/her analysis of the "Cause" for the firing. This should be written into the statute to protect IGs generally and the systems principal guardian against waste, fraud, and abuse. atis re

  William R. Cumming Posted June 22, 2009 8:25 AM
• 80891
  

  How can the spirit and letter of the law be followed when it requires a 30 day notice and the man was given 1 hour. There is truly something to hide tha tis why they are circling the wagons, just like Watergate. McCaskill condemned the move until the thugocracy put her in place. There is no debate that Kevin Johnson's hands were dirty, I guess just like those black panther voter intimidators race has it's privileges in this administration.

  cwmcpa Posted June 22, 2009 6:19 AM
• 80868
  

  So Democrates are "OK" with a Democrat President blantantly breaking the law... by not giving Congress 30 day WRITTEN notice prior to firing an IG.... this funny... all the outrage they had when Bush fired some AJ's.... So BO is above the law.... funny how the Democrates only apply the laws to one party...

  SEC. 3. REMOVAL OF INSPECTORS GENERAL. (a) ESTABLISHMENTS. - Section 3(b) of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended by striking the second sentence and inserting ''If an Inspector General is removed from office or is transferred to another position or location within an establishment, the President shall communicate in writing the reasons for any such removal or transfer to both Houses of Congress, not later than 30 days before the removal or transfer. Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit a personnel action otherwise authorized by law, other than transfer or removal.''. (b) DESIGNATED FEDERAL ENTITIES. - Section 8G(e) of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended by striking ''shall promptly communicate in writing the reasons for any such removal or transfer to both Houses of the Congress.'' and inserting ''shall communicate in writing the reasons for any such removal or transfer to both Houses of Congress, not later than 30 days before the removal or transfer. Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit a personnel action otherwise authorized by law, other than transfer or removal.''.

  Vet1973 Posted June 20, 2009 11:29 AM
• 80860
  

  I love to read these stories but this one had me totally confused. The 1st paragraph lead-in referenced the "top Democrat on the Senate committee that oversees federal inspectors general" without naming them. The next paragraph spoke of Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn.

  House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Edolphus Towns, D-N.Y. wasn't mentioned until the 4th paragraph.

  Talk about disjointed...

  Tip off Posted June 19, 2009 8:30 PM
• 80827
  

  I believe Mr. Walpin was getting too close to Obama's buddy in California that was stealing taxpayer money. Sooooooo, Obama got rid of him. What a disgrace this administration is.

  Ed Posted June 19, 2009 2:21 PM
• 80821
  

  I think some folks are looking at this as a "gotcha" moment to take Obama down a peg. However, i'm getting the feeling that the "inappropriate conduct" was really inappropriate. If Republican's want to flush that out and embarrass the guy and his family even more...who's to stop them. At the end of the day I expect that we find that the White House tried to use something called discretion in order to not completely humiliate someone.

  LN Posted June 19, 2009 1:48 PM
• 80815
  

  This is a frustrating story. The politicians and the news just keep repeating a headline with little substantive evidence that Walpin's firing was OKAY-DOKAY. It continues to impress the reader as a formulaic fishy story that an author would define in a novel of a good-ole-buddy network attempting to pull a fast one, i.e., there is little transparency in this story other than the apparent shenanigans by the politicians. Well if Senator Lieberman (former McCain supporter) says so it must be true, what BS.

  TDK Posted June 19, 2009 12:41 PM