Inspector General Probe Widening

It is becoming apparent that Senator Chuck Grassley(R) Iowa may just be digging into the Inspectors General Scandal(s).

Robert Stacy McCain at the American Spectator has done some awesome work on the stories.

And Gerald Walpin isn't the only IG who has apparently been intimidated into doing the will of the Obama administration.

Anyone remember Amtrak? The rabbit hole that got gobs of stimulus money? IG Fred Wiederhold resigned abrubtly and unexpectedly on June 18th and indications are that he and Walpin may have had one thing in common - sent packing for doing their jobs.

Grassley has sent a letter demanding answers.

Curiously, Wiederhold also hired law firm Willkie, Farr & Gallagher to "Report on Matters Impairing the Effectiveness and Independence of the Office of the Inspector General of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak)." Read the entire 94 page report as it points to a disturbing trend within the Obama White House that, for now at least, Grassley has seemingly taken heightened interest in. Check out this quote from Page 6.

"...we have concluded that the Amtrak OIG's independence and effectiveness are being substantially impaired by a number of policies and practices at the corporation relating to Law Department oversight of OIG investigations, OIG personnel matters, and OIG funding."

Interestingly, Wiederhold resigned on the same day he presented the report to the officials at Amtrak (June 18th).

hmmmm. Walpin and Wiederhold should have dinner together. I'm sure they'd hit it off fairly quickly.

Wait, make it a table for three as it appears the IG for TARP is encountering similar problems.

Now, in addition to Walpin and Wiederhold, we learn that the Special Inspector General for TARP (SIGTARP), Neil Barofsky is not getting cooperation from Treasury Secretary Timothy "tax cheat" Geithner according to Hot Air.

I have long maintained that the best way to defeat evil is to get it to unmask itself. Couple that premise with Edmund Burke's quote of "Evil can only succeed when good men do nothing" and you have what I call the Grassley Opportunity. It's looking like Grassley is beginning to head in the right direction - doing something that just might get some evil to unmask itself.

I find it very interesting that Barack Obama co-signed the Inspectors General Reform Act of 2008 (IGRA) which requires that IG's be protected from White House interference while having them be more answerable to Congress. Curiously, it seems that all the alleged interference involves stimulus and TARP money.

Hang on! How about 4 chairs at the dinner table?

Mr. Grassley,

Would you be so kind as to join us for dinner? We really have to talk.

Signed,
Gerald Walpin
Fred Wiederhold
Neil Barofsky