Posted on 06/17/2009 3:34:18 AM PDT by Scanian
PRESIDENT Obama promised he would end "Washington games." But his abrupt fir ing of the AmeriCorps inspector general is more of the same. The brewing scandal smells like the Beltway cronyism of the Bush years. And the apparent meddling of first lady Michelle Obama in the matter smacks of the corruption of the Clinton years.
If Obama keeps up with this "change," we'll be back to the Watergate era by Christmas.
News of AmeriCorps watchdog Gerald Walpin's unceremonious dismissal first broke last week in Youth Today, an independent national publication focused on the volunteerism sector. Walpin was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2007 and has served well, honorably and effectively. Too effectively.
His removal came a week after he "questioned the eligibility of the largest and most expensive AmeriCorps program, and while the IG was contesting the 'propriety' of a settlement made with a mayor for alleged misuse of AmeriCorps funds," according to Youth Today.
The first taxpayer-subsidized program is the Teaching Fellows Program, run by the Research Foundation of the City University of New York. Walpin's audit -- which can be found online at cncsig.gov -- uncovered a multitude of grant violations, including criminal-background-check lapses and "pervasive problems of eligibility, timekeeping and documentation."
Walpin's office questioned duplicate educational awards of more than $16 million and costs worth nearly $775,000. CUNY refused to return excess funds that it had drawn down, failed to revise procedures to prevent such grant abuse and refused to provide proof documenting that its AmeriCorps participants existed. Walpin advised AmeriCorps' parent organization, the Corporation for National and Community Service, to cut off any new funding and re-examine past government funding totaling upward of $75 million.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/06/white-house-plays-hardball-says-fired-ig-walpin-was-confused-disoriented-engaged-in-inappropriate-co.html
” Mistermeaners? “
Grouchy, puppy-kicking cousin of Mr. Green Jeans and Mr. Clean; believed by some to be what became of the Mr. Smith who went to Washington.
Remember, ACORN with $billions of taxpayers’ dollars will be in charge of elections next year and their manipulations will be protected by the Department of Justice.
I do know about ACORN and all of the fraud that put the Messiah into office.
His bad policy is happening at lightening speed, plus the Pelosi factor and all of the rotten to the core Dems. are not helping.
Believe me- I know it is an overly optimistic thought- But if he has done this poorly this fast- who knows how bad he will mess things up in the next year- think about that- anything is possible with this empty suit, marxist.
I guess what I am saying, is that maybe we should not underestimate the power of Americans- I KNOW that is hard thought, especially after the last elections- But don’t rule us out yet.
I also battled cancer just before my husband did, we were under 40 with small kids- Believe me- it ain’t over til it’s over. This administration feels like cancer of the America that I know. I will not be owned or ruled by Obama without a fight and a belief in the good people like the ones I find here on Free Republic.But......it ain’t gonna be easy.
Sometimes we all gotta be a little optimistic.
So which Hussein appointee will fall on his sword this time?
I see Obama as a powerful tractor, and the opposition to his policies as the weights. He got off to a good start but in time the weight (opposition) will over come that advantage.
Not all Democrats are socialist. There are some moderate Democrats. As oppositions build, and as we begin to move into the 2010 off year elections some Democrats may decide it is in their interest not to blindly follow the President.
I can not foresee the future, but I suspect the President only has a few months to CHANGE this nation, after that he will become a lame duck.
” Probably referring to the completely legal and legitimate firing of three US prosecutors. “
At least the Dems are being consistent. They were enraged when the Bush administration decided not to renew the appointments of several attorneys who were not prosecuting Democrat corruption aggressively enough, and now they are firing an inspector for inspecting corruption among Democrats. Legalities, schmegalities. What’s important is Loyalty to the Tribe.
Welcome to the Coverup Culture, and the media co-conspirators that are making it all possible.
Nobody;if a tree falls in the forest and only Fox reports on it,does it make any difference?
Bush’s firing of the 3 attorneys really bugged me. Clinton cleaned house when he came in and no one raised a peep. Bush fires 3 and the whole media world came unglued. Then, Bush backed down. If I had been Bush when the media went nuts, then I would have fired all the rest of them.
He was categorized by those he was auditing as disorientated. Probably true, he was not orientated to giving money to crooks.
BTW during his TV interviews he seemed focused and an affable personality.
I think there were 8 or 9 attorneys which Bush fired—maybe 2 or 3 were questionable. (In the other cases there seem to have been valid complaints about the individuals, but 2 or 3 may have been in response to complaints from Republican politicians, including one from Sen. Domenici of New Mexico). None of the firings were done to stop an investigation in progress or to protect a political crony. In Clinton’s case, it appears that the mass firing was done to hide the real purpose—to get rid of someone who was investigating one of Clinton’s crimes.
Walpin is like Louie in "Casablanca" when he discovers that gambling is going on in Rick's Cafe.
THANKS!
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