Pentagon IG Nominee Has Independence Issues

David H. Laufman is trying to jump-start his stalled nomination to be the Defense Department's inspector general, the Washington Post reports today. "Given the nature and magnitude of U.S. involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the hundreds of billions of dollars at issue in defense acquisition and contract performance, the need for aggressive oversight and accountability at the Department of Defense is critical," Laufman said yesterday. "Yet for more than a year, there has been a void of leadership in the Office of the Inspector General and a corresponding absence of essential oversight and accountability."

Laufman ran into some trouble at his confirmation hearings this summer, AP reports, because he told the Senate Armed Services Committee that under federal law, he would have to consult with the Defense secretary before investigating matters involving national security. Career IG staffers told Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., that such an approach would be a major departure from current practice. Now Levin, who is in line to chair the Armed Services panel when the Democrats take control, has expressed doubts about Laufman's nomination.