White House: Firing AmeriCorps IG an act of "political courage"

Washington Examiner ^ | June 18, 2009 | By Byron York

[MaestroLC]

A top White House lawyer called the firing of AmeriCorps inspector general Gerald Walpin an act of "political courage," according to House Republican aides who were in a meeting with the lawyer Wednesday.

Norman Eisen, who is the White House Special Counsel to the President for Ethics and Government Reform, met with staffers for Rep. Darrell Issa, the ranking Republican on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on Wednesday. Eisen, along with another White House staffer who accompanied him, "wanted to talk broadly about inspectors general," says a GOP aide familiar with what went on at the meeting. "When we pressed them on specific questions and documents, they said they weren't prepared to give us information on that."

In one exchange, according to the GOP aide, the White House lawyers explained that inspector general Walpin was not working well with the board of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which oversees AmeriCorps, and the administration believed that IGs should work well with the leadership of their agencies. Eisen said he knew that removing Walpin might be seen as an action that would raise questions. "But [Eisen] said that what they did in trying to fix the situation was an act of political courage -- and 'political courage' is the phrase they used," says the aide.

Republicans, along with a few Democrats, have been concerned about the White House's methods in removing Walpin. The law requires the president to give Congress 30 days' notice, plus the cause for the firing of an inspector general. In Walpin's case, the White House called Walpin out of the blue, gave him one hour either to resign or be fired, and only later notified Congress, and then without giving any cause for its action. Only later, after a lone Democrat, Sen. Claire McCaskill, said the White House "failed to follow the proper procedure" and

[HamiltonJay]

Thugocracy in action.

I woke up one day and found I lived in a banana republic with an arse monkey in the white house.

[Always Right]

Lying = Courage! ... Damn, Clinton wasn’t even that arrogant to try that spin.

[Unam Sanctam]

I’m thinking of a word beginning with C, but it ain’t courage — like corruption, or perhaps Chicago...

[madison10]

How come I keep seeing Baghdad Bob every time this administration defends breaking the law?

[Renkluaf]

I imagine most Dims & the media would view Obama getting out of bed in the morning as an "act of political courage."

You say pota-to and I say potah-to...

[Jack of all Trades]

Wow, these guys are even incompetent at being corrupt. I'm not the best liar, but even I know that once you pick a story, you stick with it until the very end.

Which it it: incoherent, or not a team player?

[Martin Tell]

Interesting.

They have abandoned the "dazed and confused" defense - obviously not a winner based on Walpin's numerous sharp appearances in the last two days - and have reverted to "Walpin's a Republican hack with an ax to grind".

This was their initial story.

Be prepared for "Walpin's a racist bastard" defense next;.

This has legs. Even the NY Slimes has finally reported it, well the "dazed and confused" version.

Guess the Slimes will now have to report that we are no longer at war with EastAsia.

Popcorn, anyone?

[Cboldt]

-- Then why didn't the MSM get their thongs in a twist over Bush firing 8 AG’s but nothing over Clinton firing all of them when he took office? --

That's not a good comparison, because Carter, Reagan, and Bush I likewise replaced all US Attorneys in the first year of the first term. That "move" is not controversial.

Replacement other than attrition at the start of a second term, as the GWB administration did in 2005, is controversial. We still don't know how far down the chain of command the power to fire a US Attorney goes. President Bush said he was NOT involved in the firing decision, and we don't know who exactly made the firing decision.

That said, the Walpin firing merits plenty of attention. It is unusual, and the reasons given, so far, don't hold water.

[Madame Dufarge]

Has anyone asked why the purportedly senile IG Walpin's investigation led to the U. S. Attorney making a deal with Johnson to repay $400,000 of the grant money?

I mean, who'd act on the recommendation of an Alzheimer's sufferer?

[expatpat]

Political Courage. Yes, the same political courage Nixon showed when he fired Cox.

[oldironsides]

Chicago mafia runs the oval office now.

[MrB]

political courage, eh?

You have to admit, it is ballsy,

to expose your fascism so blatantly.

[LiteKeeper]

Thug’0’crat ALERT!!!

[SkyDancer]

But then why did the MSM get all over Bush for firing just 8 in his second term and no mention of Clinton?

[KarlInOhio]

Would the press lapped it up like a litter of happy kittens if Nixon had said that the Watergate break-in was an act of political courage?

[dirtboy]

A top White House lawyer called the firing of AmeriCorps inspector general Gerald Walpin an act of "political courage,"

Supersizing the Big Lie for modern times.

[freekitty]

I would say cowardness is a better fit.

[SonOfDarkSkies]

It appears that the breaking of laws is of no concern to the Obama administration.

It is becoming increasingly clear that Barky is either:

• just a thuggish Chicago pol who has hypnotized his way into the WH and is going to get his comeuppance shortly,

  OR

• he is indeed the "Man of Lawlessness", "the antichrist"..."The Obamanation (sic) of Desolation."

Either way, we will know shortly depending on how this situation is resolved.

[Ann Archy]

I assume Norman Eisen is a CROOK!

[eclectic]

So, they admit it was politically motivated. Impeachment!