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Saturday, July 18, 2009

Gerald Walpin, inspector general of the Corporation for National and Community Service, filed a lawsuit Friday to get his job back

The inspector general President Obama fired last month filed a lawsuit Friday to get his job back, claiming the firing was politically motivated and broke a 2008 law governing how watchdogs can be dismissed.
Gerald Walpin, inspector general of the Corporation for National and Community Service, was removed June 10. In a letter telling Congress of his decision, Mr. Obama said he no longer had confidence in Mr. Walpin, but did not elaborate.
Mr. Walpin says he was fired because he targeted an Obama supporter, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, in a successful investigation that resulted in Mr. Johnson and an academy on which he formerly served as executive director repaying half the $847,000 it received in government grants.
He also said in its haste to dump him, the administration never interviewed him or any of his staff - an omission Mr. Walpin said in his lawsuit violates a 2008 law meant to protect government watchdogs.
The law requires that Congress be notified 30 days before an inspector general is dismissed, and Mr. Walpin contends that the administration has yet to meet the requirements for who should be notified and what reasons must be given.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment

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