McCaskill shifts on Obama IG firing
Claire McCaskill
UPDATED WASHINGTON — The firing of Gerald Walpin, who was a government inspector general for AmeriCorps and other programs in the Corporation for National and Community Service, has generated a great deal of interest in recent days.
Critics have argued that Walpin was doing his job as internal auditor when he investigated Kevin Johnson, a former professional basketball player and a prominent Barack Obama supporter who runs a nonprofit education group.
Was that the reason Walpin is out of work? The Obama administration had said nothing to deflect the criticism since a letter last week saying that he no longer had the “fullest confidence” in Walpin.
On Tuesday, Sen. Claire McCaskill, a former Missouri state auditor who works closely with IGs in the federal government, issued a statement critical of the termination. Her statement didn’t mention the controversy surrounding the former NBA star but noted that she had authored a law requiring that IGs be given 30 days advance notice of dismissal along with the casue for termination.
“The White House has failed to follow the proper procedure in notifying Congress as to the removal” of Walpin, wrote McCaskill, a Democrat.
“Loss of confidence is not a sufficient reason. I’m hopeful the White House will provide a more substantive rationale, in writing, as quickly as possible,” she concluded.
The White House did just that.
Yesterday, McCaskill reversed herself after saying that the White House had provided new information in a letter to ranking members of the Senate Homeland Security Committee.
The letter alleged that Walpin had been “confused, disoriented and unable to answer questions” at a board meeeting and had demanded to work at home and engaged in other inappropriate behavior.
“The reasons given in the most recent White House letter are substantial and the decision to remove Walpin appears well-founded,” McCaskill said in a follow-up statement, suggesting that Congress might review what happened.
“She still does want more information,” added McCaskill’s press secretary Maria Speiser.
OMG!
Claire pulls her nose out of The Messiah’s… er… back pocket long enough to make a face stomp her foot and yell “BAD!”
Hey Claire? Sub-commettee chair… hello!?! How about some hearings? Subpoena a record or two, ask Gerald Walpin to come tell his side of the story. How about someone from the White House?
Naaaaah… that only happens to Republicans
Claire McCaskill…
worse
Mo. Senator
ever.
I didn’t see any Republicans EVER say anything about Bush/Cheney. Seems like if this is your rationale Bond would also be in the running for “worse [sic]” ever.
Good for her. I’m sure she knows the IG is entitled to a 30-day review. He didn’t get it. But that’s our boy Barry for you. Throw out the rule book, anything goes.
Mr. “Umm…” is certainly correct that Republicans never criticized Bush/Cheney, I mean, except for Dick Lugar, Lindsay Graham, Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, John McCain, Chris Shayes, Arnold Schwarzenegger and about 150 other reps, senators, and governors in regards to Iraq, No Child Left Behind, Katrina, the Medicare Drug Plan, the Federal budget…
“Failed to follow the proper procedures” is a polite way of saying “broke the law”.
“I’m hopeful the White House will provide a more substantive rationale, in writing, as quickly as possible…”
Whoa. I’m sure the Whitehouse is quaking in its boots. Who wants to bet this is the last you’ll ever hear Claire speak of this?
Firing an independent auditor who revealed corruption of a political ally? I thought Captain Transparency was against that sort of thing.
Here, in all its simple, splendid glory, is the quintessential difference between the Democratic and Republican parties.
The Democratic Party has the backbone and the cojones to speak up if they disagree with a Democratic Administration.
The Republicans had the oppurtunity for eight years and chose not to.
And tsquare, underground and go fish…
You only help enhance my point with your purely partisan comments.
Update: Now Obama claims the firing was because Walpin had appeared “confused” and “disoriented.” One problem: Walpin has appeared on every TV station that will have him, and has demonstrated that he is not. It reminds me of Obama’s ageist campaign commercial claiming McCain was not up to the presidency because he couldn’t send email (which actually had more to do with McCain’s hand injury suffered during captivity in North Vietnam).
I like Obama’s progressive agenda, but this bothers me, both from an ethical standpoint and the ageism.
I love the cries of ‘partisanship!’
Yet not one call from the left for a hearing… including our gal Claire.
All you Democrats… you progressives… have put your faith and trust in your Obamamassiah… and he learned the art of politics in Chicago.
When he goes down… and he will… he’ll take all of you with him.
knuckles—you make it too easy…
From 2 comments before your comment…””
…certainly correct that Republicans never criticized Bush/Cheney, I mean, except for Dick Lugar, Lindsay Graham, Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, John McCain, Chris Shayes, Arnold Schwarzenegger and about 150 other reps, senators, and governors in regards to Iraq, No Child Left Behind, Katrina, the Medicare Drug Plan, the Federal budget…
— Ferg
—Keep on draggin’…
7:51 am June 17th, 2009
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This is an example of the Chicago “thug” style politics that this guy was schooled in.
This story is just beginning, it’s got huge repercussions and increasingly wide ramifications, and the P.D. won’t report on it in the paper.
So who is “beholding” to who?
This is getting ugly fast.
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/06/17/fbi-probing-obstruction-of-justice-in-related-walpin-case/
Yet not one call from the left for a hearing… including our gal Claire.
— tsquare
1:24 pm June 17th, 2009
Maybe they’re waiting on these hearings? Something the Republican congress would never do and we just might see in the near future. Hearings on:
-warrantless wiretapping
-someone in the administration ordering the destruction of CIA tapes of the interrogations of two high-level al-Qaida suspects
-John Yoo says that an interrogation tactic is torture only if it causes pain on the level of organ failure
- the criminal liability on torture, as defined by American and international law, for Bush-administration officials in the questioning of al-Qaida suspect Abu Zubaydah . Gen. Antonio Taguba would give interesting testimony at this one.
-the firing of the U.S. attorneys in 2006 in the Justice Department (as well as their politicized hirings there).
-Alberto Gonzales lied to Congress
- David Addington or Gonzales or Dick Cheney or President Bush for their roles in administration improprieties.
Now THOSE hearings would be interesting.
“Maybe they’re waiting on these hearings? Something the Republican congress would never do and we just might see in the near future. Hearings on:…”
Look, a pony!
We HAD hearings on all that Debbie… you just didn’t like the outcome, now did you?
Years and years from now on your death bed… surrounded by those you love with your last breath… you’ll blame BUSH!
Maybe Sen. Ensign will be there.
Or Craig…or Vitter…or Foley…or Gnewt…or anyone from the hypocritical Republican party of family values.
Claire is correct. No nonsense no politics just the facts. I’m generally very pleased with the Obama Administration; but they can’t get it right 100% of the time though they’re pretty darn close. There is nothing wrong with our senator pointing this out. This is how she and our Missouri Party activists remain creditable. This is why she was elected…to help us know the truth and do the right thing. We have to be able to see ourselves & our leaders truthfully and correct problems or bad decisions. And perhaps there is an explanation that once we know it explains all. But I never voted for Senator McCaskill so that she could be anyone’s “YES MAN.”
The only one confused is Obama. He thinks he’s in Cuba, North Korea, the old Soviet Union and Iran.