Inherently Flawed

It's foolish to think that an Inspector General can really root out corruption, fraud, waste and abuse with impunity if he/she works for the very person(s) being investigated. While there are many agency heads who value the IG work and don't retaliate over negative findings on their agency operations, it's clear that the CIA Chief, Michael Hayden is not among them.

• CIA Director Michael V. Hayden has mounted a highly unusual challenge to the agency's chief watchdog, ordering an internal investigation of an inspector general who has issued a series of scathing reports sharply critical of top CIA officials, according to government officials familiar with the matter. The move has prompted concerns that Hayden is seeking to rein in an inspector general who has used the office to bring harsh scrutiny of CIA figures including former Director George J. Tenet and undercover operatives running secret overseas prison sites.

• U.S. intelligence officials who are concerned about the inquiry said it was unprecedented and could threaten the independence of the inspector general position. The probe "could at least lead to appearances he's trying to interfere with the IG, or intimidate the IG or get the IG to back off," said a U.S. official familiar with the probe.

In an investigation conducted in 2003 and 2004 at the request of [now] Chairman of the Government Oversight Committee, it was discovered that:

• Over one-third of the IGs appointed by President Bush worked in Republican White Houses prior to their appointments as IGs. In contrast, President Clinton appointed no IGs who had worked in any Democratic White House prior to their appointments.

• Only 18% of the IGs appointed by President Bush had previous audit experience, such as experience in an IG’s office, at the Government Accountability Office, or at a private accounting firm. In contrast, 66% of IGs appointed by President Clinton had audit experience prior to their appointments.

How about we establish a simple standard for appointment and confirmation for future IG's: substantive audit experience necessary, others need not apply. Any political connections should be scrutinized heavily and IG's should recuse themselves from cases that involve investigating their buddies. Now, conservatives will no doubt attack the claims' source, Henry Waxman. That is to be expected. Let's see if they attack or refute any of the findings.

Don't hold your breath...
- posted by john @ 10:15 AM