Obama fires AmeriCorps' Inspector General for daring to investigate his friend

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Is this true or a rumor?

True.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Is this true or a rumor?

True.

Come join us on the dark side.

[scandal 951]

Is this true or a rumor?

True.

Come join us on the dark side.

We're having Marc'ie poo :star: over for dessert

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

Is this true or a rumor?

True.

Come join us on the dark side.

We're having Marc'ie poo :star: over for dessert

Your havin starfish for supper?

[luckytxn 2,264]

Why be a king if one can't fire who ever they don't like?

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

Why be a king if one can't fire who ever they don't like?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

...and the "other" part of the article:

In August 2008, Walpin referred the matter to the local U.S. attorney's office, which said the watchdog's conclusions seemed overstated and did not accurately reflect all the information gathered in the investigation.

"We also highlighted numerous questions and further investigation they needed to conduct, including the fact that they had not done an audit to establish how much AmeriCorps money was actually misspent," Acting U.S. Attorney Lawrence Brown said in an April 29 letter to the federal counsel of inspectors general.

Walpin's office made repeated public comments just before the Sacramento mayoral election, prompting the U.S. attorney's office to inform the media that it did not intend to file any criminal charges.

In settling the case, the government agreed to lift its suspension of any future grants to the academy and Johnson agreed to immediately repay $73,000 in past grants. The academy was given 10 years to repay the remaining $350,000.

Brown said at the time of the settlement that prosecutors determined there was no fraud, but rather a culture of "sloppiness" in St. HOPE's record-keeping.

Kevin Hiestand, chairman of the board of St. HOPE Academy, said in a statement it was "about time" Walpin was removed. "Mr. Walpin's allegations were meritless and clearly motivated by matters beyond an honest assessment of our program," he said.

....

[nowhereman 1]

...and the "other" part of the article:

In August 2008, Walpin referred the matter to the local U.S. attorney's office, which said the watchdog's conclusions seemed overstated and did not accurately reflect all the information gathered in the investigation.

"We also highlighted numerous questions and further investigation they needed to conduct, including the fact that they had not done an audit to establish how much AmeriCorps money was actually misspent," Acting U.S. Attorney Lawrence Brown said in an April 29 letter to the federal counsel of inspectors general.

Walpin's office made repeated public comments just before the Sacramento mayoral election, prompting the U.S. attorney's office to inform the media that it did not intend to file any criminal charges.

In settling the case, the government agreed to lift its suspension of any future grants to the academy and Johnson agreed to immediately repay $73,000 in past grants. The academy was given 10 years to repay the remaining $350,000.

Brown said at the time of the settlement that prosecutors determined there was no fraud, but rather a culture of "sloppiness" in St. HOPE's record-keeping.

Kevin Hiestand, chairman of the board of St. HOPE Academy, said in a statement it was "about time" Walpin was removed. "Mr. Walpin's allegations were meritless and clearly motivated by matters beyond an honest assessment of our program," he said.

....

How dare you present the other side of the story? The right wing VJers already have Obama impeached & sitting in a cell next to OJ!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

...and the "other" part of the article:

In August 2008, Walpin referred the matter to the local U.S. attorney's office, which said the watchdog's conclusions seemed overstated and did not accurately reflect all the information gathered in the investigation.

"We also highlighted numerous questions and further investigation they needed to conduct, including the fact that they had not done an audit to establish how much AmeriCorps money was actually misspent," Acting U.S. Attorney Lawrence Brown said in an April 29 letter to the federal counsel of inspectors general.

Walpin's office made repeated public comments just before the Sacramento mayoral election, prompting the U.S. attorney's office to inform the media that it did not intend to file any criminal charges.

In settling the case, the government agreed to lift its suspension of any future grants to the academy and Johnson agreed to immediately repay $73,000 in past grants. The academy was given 10 years to repay the remaining $350,000.

Brown said at the time of the settlement that prosecutors determined there was no fraud, but rather a culture of "sloppiness" in St. HOPE's record-keeping.

Kevin Hiestand, chairman of the board of St. HOPE Academy, said in a statement it was "about time" Walpin was removed. "Mr. Walpin's allegations were meritless and clearly motivated by matters beyond an honest assessment of our program," he said.

....

How dare you present the other side of the story? The right wing VJers already have Obama impeached & sitting in a cell next to OJ!

This Walpin schmuck was abusing his power for his own political agenda...how ironic that the Right Wing Outrage Brigade was ready to put a noose around Obama for jumping to the conclusion that that was what he was doing. AJ (the original poster) is brilliant for exposing hypocracy.

Edited June 13, 2009 by Col. 'Bat' Guano

[DouglasFiel 53]

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama says he has lost confidence in the inspector general who investigates AmeriCorps and other national service programs and has told Congress he is removing him from the position.

Obama's move follows an investigation by IG Gerald Walpin finding misuse of federal grants by a nonprofit education group led by Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, who is an Obama supporter and former NBA basketball star.

...

"It is vital that I have the fullest confidence in the appointees serving as inspectors general," Obama said in a letter Thursday to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Joe Biden, who also serves as president of the Senate. "That is no longer the case with regard to this inspector general."

The president didn't offer any more explanation.

...

Grassley had written Obama a letter pointing to a law requiring that Congress be given the reasons an IG is fired.

...

Grassley said Walpin had identified millions of dollars in AmeriCorps funds that were wasted or misspent and "it appears he has been doing a good job."

...

The IG found that Johnson, a former all-star point guard for the Phoenix Suns, had used AmeriCorps grants to pay volunteers to engage in school-board political activities, run personal errands for Johnson and even wash his car.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090612/ap_on_...spector_general

I had seen that too,,, I hope there is more to the firing other then,,, Obama's friend being the subject of corruption.

I am not a supporter of Obama in several areas... But,,, I will give the man his due,, when deserved. He is our president.

I just hope he will start to support America first. We had had enough apologists... Move forward!!!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I had seen that too,,, I hope there is more to the firing other then,,, Obama's friend being the subject of corruption.

I am not a supporter of Obama in several areas... But,,, I will give the man his due,, when deserved. He is our president.

I just hope he will start to support America first. We had had enough apologists... Move forward!!!

Kevin Johnson is not corrupt, but he is a Democrat who was running for Mayor of Sacramento. This IG was making public statements about Kevin Johnson's alleged corruption during election time which suggests that Mr. Wilpin's statements were politically motivated, compounded by the fact that his office didn't actually do an audit on Kevin Johnson's charity. The schmuck deserved to be fired.