IG Walpin Goes on Offense - Sues Gov't

Robert McCain refers to it as "The Little Scandal That Could" and it just keeps chugging along. As Inspector General advocate and Senator Chuck Grassley (R - Iowa) learns more about a widening IG scandals involving Amtrak, the International Trade Commission, and another soon-to-be-named IG, we learn that former AmeriCorps IG Gerald Walpin is suing the Federal Government, claiming he was fired unlawfully.

As people become targets of hardcore left wingers and Chicago Way politics, the appear to be much more willing to go on offense. I believe it's a motivator for Walpin much like it's been for Sarah Palin.

Byron York reports in the Washington Examiner:

Walpin's suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, is against the Corporation for National and Community Service, which oversees AmeriCorps. Also named are Nicola Goren, the acting CEO of the Corporation, Frank Trinity, its general counsel, and Raymond Limon, the Corporation's "chief human capital officer." The suit asks the court to declare Walpin's firing unlawful and restore him to his position as the Corporation's inspector general.

I can't help wondering if reports about what Frank Trinity reportedly told investigators about Walpin helped to push the latter over the edge. York reported that Trinity cited a parody magazine Walpin had no part in writing as being racially insensitive and played a part in Walpin's firing.

More of the lawsuit article:

On June 10, Walpin received a call from Norman Eisen, the Special Counsel to the President for Ethics and Government Reform, giving Walpin an hour either to resign or be fired. Eisen's ultimatum appeared to be a violation of the Inspectors General Reform Act, which requires the president to give Congress 30 days' notice, plus an explanation of the reasons for his action, before firing an inspector general. (Then-Sen. Barack Obama was a co-sponsor of that legislation.) It also appeared that Eisen's call to force Walpin to resign was an effort to push Walpin out of his job so the White House would not have to go through the 30-day process, or give a reason for its action. When Walpin refused to quit, the White House informed Congress and began the 30-day countdown.

In its first explanation of the firing, the White House wrote a letter to Congress on June 11 claiming that President Obama no longer had "the fullest confidence" in Walpin. When lawmakers of both parties demanded a more detailed reason, the White House wrote another letter on June 16 accusing Walpin of being "confused, disoriented [and] unable to answer questions" at the May 20 meeting.

In the suit, Walpin alleges that all three actions were violations of the job protections given to inspectors general. "There have been at least three attempts to unlawfully remove Mr. Walpin from his post," the suit says, "the first orally on June 10; the second by writing on June 11; and the third by writing on June 16."

Be sure to Read York's Entire Article.

A very interesting side note is that the IGs' most strongest advocate in the Senate is Chuck Grassley (R - Iowa) and he appears to be digging into all of these IG scandals, including Amtrak, the International Trade Commission, and another one soon to be named. The preponderance of all of them together likely has a compounding effect.

Then, just for added measure, it appears that Grassley doesn't like how he's being treated by the Obama White House relative to Obama-Care.

Check out Kimberly Strassel's article in WSJ.

h/t to Hot Air for providing the link to York's article.