Neutering the Watchdogs

A bipartisan proposal to beef up the independence of Inspectors General in federal agencies is opposed by the White House. In fairness to Republicans, this is not a George Bush issue. This is an Executive Branch vs. Legislative Branch issue. Executive authorities don't like oversight - they want unfettered power unchecked by "beancounters" who represent the people via their elected Representatives and Senators. No matter whom is Prez, he (soon to be she?) sees all Congressional inquiry as meddling and partisan sabotage. Tough shit.

In fairness to reality, this administration has more to hide than any since Nixon, and maybe more. (We won't know until or unless documents are declassified in the future.) Most President's would rather not have independent watchdogs in each agency. They want their politically appointed agency head to be able to keep a lid on bad news. But that is not conducive to good government.

• Last week, reports that CIA Director Michael Hayden ordered an unusual internal inquiry into the office of CIA IG John Helgerson drew bipartisan criticism. The review will focus particularly on Helgerson's fairness in investigations of terrorist detention and interrogation programs that rankled agency insiders, reports said.
  

The key issue is whether the IG's can submit budgets directly to Congress. When the agency head can trim budget requests, the IG remains vulnerable to powerlessness.

• The [White House] statement of policy also objected to language codifying an IG council that now exists under executive orders. But the House did not address that concern and staffers said the new Senate bill will not. "The administration is just going to have to live with that council," a staffer working on the bill said.

Tough shit, Mr. President. Let the IG's loose....future Democratic occupants of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue will be subject to the same standards. Your (and Dick[head] Cheney's) pursuit of the imperial of the Office of the President is beyond shameful. But you don't have even the capacity for shame, do you?

Update: Republican Senator Grassley Accuses GSA Chief of Making False Charges Against the GSA Inspector General
- posted by john @ 5:24 PM