The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

New IG-Gate Scandal? OMB Reportedly Makes ‘Not So Veiled Threat’ to IG

Posted on | January 22, 2010 | 5 Comments

New York Daily News reports:

[A]n inspector general for Congress alleged today in a letter to Brooklyn Rep. Ed Towns that the Office of Management and Budget tried to intimidate him because he wanted to warn Congress his budget was being slashed too low.
The IG of Congress’ Office of Personnel Management, Patrick McFarland, alleged that his office got a “not so veiled threat from OMB” that it “will make life miserable” if he informs legislators of his complaint.
Under law, IGs are supposed to tell Congress when their budgets are being cut to the point where they don’t think they can do their jobs.
“I am alerting you about a very serious matter that represents an attempt to thwart an authority provided to us by the Inspector General Reform Act of 2008 and that creates a risk of compromising our operational independence,” McFarland alleged.
Towns, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said in a statement tonight that he was demanding explanations from OMB and investigating whether other inspectors general got similar threats.
“If such statements were made they were entirely improper and pose a direct threat to the independence and integrity of Inspectors General, and an affront to clear Congressional intent as expressed in statute,” said Towns.

Press release from Americans for Limited Government:

Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today applauded Congressman Ed Towns for ordering an investigation into the White House Office of Management and Budget for allegedly threatening an Inspector General from Congress’ Office of Personnel Management, Patrick MacFarland.
“Congressman Towns should be praised for investigating his own party’s Administration, who in this case threatened an inspector general,” said Wilson. . . .
“Especially with the inspectors general whose purpose it is to monitor wasteful spending, OMB’s threats to any inspector ought to be investigated.”
Wilson continued, “Under law, any inspectors general who believe that they are being cut either maliciously or in error has a duty to inform Congress, and neither OMB nor any other arm of the Obama Administration should be targeting those inspectors as a result.”
“Nobody should be threatened by the White House for doing their jobs as stipulated by law,” Wilson added.

UPDATE: PDF of Chairman Towns’ letter to OMB Director Peter Orzag.

UPDATE II: The investigation is growing:

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee raised concern about a claim that a budget employee tried to intimidate the inspector general in another office and expects to receive a report Friday on whether other inspectors general have received similar threats. A Senate panel got involved Thursday, urging Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag to launch an “immediate investigation.”  . . .
Paul Feeney, who is on the legal staff with the inspector general’s office that is handling the survey of other IGs, said the results will be sent to the committee this week. 
“It would be premature to comment at this point,” he said, when asked about the findings. McFarland’s office also declined to comment further. 
With the House inquiry underway, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Thursday expressed its concerns about the same incident in a letter to Orszag. 
“The allegations the OPM IG has made against OMB are serious and call for an immediate investigation,” Chairman Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., and other committee members said in the letter.

That’s more like it, Joe!

UPDATE III: PDF of IG’s letter to Rep. Stephen Lynch.

Category: Inspectors General

Comments

5 Responses to “New IG-Gate Scandal? OMB Reportedly Makes ‘Not So Veiled Threat’ to IG”

  1. dad29
    January 22nd, 2010 @ 10:11 pm

    Yup. How many IG’s are now in the sights? Five?

  2. dad29
    January 22nd, 2010 @ 5:11 pm

    Yup. How many IG’s are now in the sights? Five?

  3. uberVU - social comments
    January 22nd, 2010 @ 9:07 pm

    Social comments and analytics for this post…

    This post was mentioned on Twitter by rsmccain: @michellemalkin New IG-Gate Scandal? http://bit.ly/6UqxLo OBM Reportedly Makes “Not So Veiled Threat” to IG…

  4. chris pedersen
    January 23rd, 2010 @ 3:53 am

    Racketeering? Payoffs? Money Laundering? Mobbed-Up Chicago Union/City Hall “Ties”? Follow the checks!! The cover-ups always gets them in the A$$-END Where the time gets longer by years & year[s] or Empeachment is the Plea-Bargain!! Think Nixon!!

  5. chris pedersen
    January 22nd, 2010 @ 10:53 pm

    Racketeering? Payoffs? Money Laundering? Mobbed-Up Chicago Union/City Hall “Ties”? Follow the checks!! The cover-ups always gets them in the A$$-END Where the time gets longer by years & year[s] or Empeachment is the Plea-Bargain!! Think Nixon!!