Watching the Watchers' Watchers: Waxman's Staff Delves into Cabinet Departments' IGs

The current Cabinet: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Cabinet#Current_Cabinet

The IG of each Department is where conscience-stricken internal whistleblowers - who might have evidence of fraud, abuse, corruption, graft, preferential treatment on contracts, criminal activity, etc. - are told to report their allegations.

In theory, a functioning IG's office serves as a double-blind internal control mechanism, protecting whistleblowers from retaliation while rewarding them for coming forward, and also protecting the accused from precipitous actions that may turn out to be a misunderstanding, a misinterpretation, a maliciously-motivated campaign, etc.

In practice, the IG position is seen by this Administration as a "fox in the hen house," a sort of early-warning tripwire signal that a truthful troublemaker is rocking the boat, and may later go public. Whistleblowers who run to the IG of their Department are tipping off the scofflaws.

It's like watching a bad Mafia movie, really, where the good guy runs straight to the Mafia plant at the police department.

Waxman's staffers have done their homework regarding the IG's politically-motivated dealings at State. That much is coming to light now, and you can bet the Vulcans and neo-cons - including Condi - are losing sleep over this investigation's implications.

But Waxman's staffers' efforts have not stopped there. If you want to be ahead of the curve moving into the 2008 general election, I urge you to look up the other Cabinet-level IG offices, too (plus one more, the SEC, where allegations and internal career staffer investigations against BushCo. companies are of special interest to this Administration):

State: http://oig.state.gov/
Treasury: http://www.treasury.gov/inspector-general/
Defense: http://www.dodig.osd.mil/
Justice: http://www.usdoj.gov/oig/
Interior: http://www.doioig.gov/
Agriculture: http://www.usda.gov/oig/
Commerce: http://www.oig.doc.gov/oig/
Labor: http://www.oig.dol.gov/
HHS: http://oig.hhs.gov/
HUD: http://www.hud.gov/offices/oig/
Transportation: http://www.oig.dot.gov/
Energy: http://www.ig.energy.gov/
Education: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oig/misused/index.html
Veterans Affairs: http://www.va.gov/oig/
Homeland Security: http://www.dhs.gov/xoig

SEC: http://www.sec.gov/about/oig.shtml

Moving into the 2008 general election season, a larger picture is going to emerge: namely, to stifle allegations of criminal activity by top Bush political appointees, this Administration planted friendly IGs in each Department.

No wonder Tom Davis - former Chairman and now Ranking Member of the House OVERSIGHT and Government Reform Committee - removed the word OVERSIGHT from the committee name. That word was restored in the organizing resolution when the Democrats retook the House in January: http://www.rules.house.gov/110/text/110_Hres6.pdf

That concept was restored the moment Waxman banged the gavel for the first time, and his staffers are true American heroes (with gumshoe instincts).

- Dave

to do about it???? It's good to have hearings but if nothing comes of them, they are pretty useless. There should be firings, reprimands and corrections asap.

1. Build awareness among potential whistleblowers that their IG office is NOT the place to go.

2. Use the information gathered about the politicization of IG offices in the Cabinet Departments to build public awareness in the general election/put the GOP on the defensive.

3. With a keen eye to applicable statutes of limitations, have the new Democratically-controlled Justice Department investigate criminal referrals from Waxman's committee.

- Dave

This is a great time for people to become aware of how our government operates...true checks and balances. So much going on, it's hard to keep knowledgeable about it all. Thanks for all your updates!

... because I think it helps set the stage for a better-informed electorate going into the general in 08.

- Dave

... I think the country's mood will change.

- Dave

IMPEACH GEORGE WALKER BUSH NEXT!

Of course there is a widespread pattern, even if we're only aware of a few dots right now.

... is exquisite. This is too good for popcorn. It almost requires a tux, opera glasses, and something fizzy and alcoholic.

: )

- Dave

From the site you reference regarding Waxman's staffers doing their homework, Dave:
"Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Assessing the State Department Inspector General
Table of Contents
Overview
Chairman Waxman's Opening Statement

The Committee held a hearing to assess the performance of State Department Inspector General Howard J. Krongard following a series of allegations that the Inspector General halted investigations, censored reports, and refused to cooperate with law enforcement agencies.

Witness: The Honorable Howard J. Krongard, Inspector General, U.S."

Foxes guarding henhouses, indeed.

Thanks for a most informative post. I hope that this time we'll be able to move forward and make some progress toward getting these shmoes out of there.

Opera glasses: check
dungarees ironed: check
cowboy boots shined up purty: check
a bottle of champagne, any champagne that I can afford: you betcha...

Ready to go.

Impeach Cheney first.
Now is the time!

:toast:

glc

I said opera, not Opry.

:rofl:

How the heck are ya?

- Dave

Good to see you too! I am well and hope that you are too.

Somehow, I think my Opry Glasses are still gonna come in handy for what's to come. That and the popcorn popper. :-)

It's time. IT IS TIME. (Did I mention that it is time?) Impeach Cheney first. I only hope that before I die, they are charged with war crimes. May they spend their lives accounting for and paying for their many many crimes. Amen.

Gawd Dave... Our beautiful country! Turned to crap by two lunatics, and their various enablers.


But it is truly good to see you back again!!!


glc

B-)

... going to face criminal charges of her own: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=lynn+cheney+lockheed

- Dave

Hmmm... sounds promising. More info?

glc

http://www.911omissionreport.com/lockheed_martin_lynne_cheney.html

World's largest weapons producer, plenty of depleted uranium. Fun stuff for Lynne.


glc

:rofl:

- Dave

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tab=wn&q=krongard&scoring=n

... now comes the real fun. Waxman's staffers are on the offense.

- Dave

“It is a staggering list of allegations from Mr. Krongard’s own staff,” said Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), the committee’s chairman.

He's not kidding either.

Cookie Krongard's own brother, Buzzy, says that he told his bro, the IG, that he was associated with Blackwater via its advisory board.

From http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hQAQdYgCxI0OrLOLCKgqJtSBJvSAD8SU9JM80
"Waxman and others have suggested that Alvin Krongard's ties to Blackwater are a main reason Howard Krongard sidelined a probe into the weapons smuggling charges."


Thanks Chris Shays for putting it all in perspective by saying, "“What troubles me about this committee is that you were not confronted by your accusers,”

Like his own brother for example?
And the people representing We The People of America, in Congress, after their initial investigation which included interviews with former staff under Krongard?

So Krongard has now recused himself from Blackwater investigations as well as investigations into fishy stuff about that big embassy over there in Iraq. Hmmmm...Does that mean that no one is available to answer questions about that big ol' thing?


All best thoughts to Rep. Waxman and his excellent staff. Please continue to work on our behalf, even when we get so downhearted.


Living in interesting times,


glc

... at this point, the Administration is operating with fourth-stringers on the Team That Can't Shoot Straight.

- Dave