Republicans say Iraq watchdog should be a comptroller general candidate
GOP lawmakers would like to add Stuart Bowen, the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, to Democrats’ list of contenders.
House and Senate Republicans said in a letter Thursday that Stuart Bowen, the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, should be added to a list of names that Democrats have submitted to President Obama as candidates for comptroller general, the head of the Government Accountability Office.
The letter to Obama was signed by House Minority Leader John Boehner, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs ranking member Susan Collins and House Oversight and Government Reform ranking member Darrell Issa.
Collins has been advocating for Bowen's appointment to the post since Democrats sent their four recommendations to Obama on Tuesday. The Democratic choices were Rep. Todd Platts, R-Pa.; Linda Bilmes, a faculty member at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government; Acting Comptroller General Gene Dodaro; and former Assistant Comptroller Ira Goldstein.
The Republican lawmakers accused Democrats of abruptly cutting off deliberations on nominees before the GOP had input. "We were not presented with an opportunity to revise this list, nor were we consulted on its creation," the letter said.