The Obama Quo
In a side of him that the mainstream media rarely lets us see, U.S. President Barack Obama vindictively fired a federal Inspector General last week for insisting (or attempting to insist) that a Presidential cronie be held accountable for misappropriating hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars.
The curious case of AmeriCorps Inspector General Gerald Walpin – which has been meticulously exposed by the Washington Examiner -is at best a case of frighteningly-poor judgment on the part of an adminsitration that’s supposed to be all about “change.”
At worst? It’s evidence that the Obamas (yes, Lady MacBeth is neck deep in this one, too) are deliberately trying to intimidate government investigators from doing their jobs.
In one of those all-too-frequent “oxymoronic” moments in Washington, Obama’s office of “Ethics and Government Reform” informed Walpin last week that he had an hour to resign before the President removed him from office.
The reason?
Walpin had exposed the misappropriation of huge sums of public money by a key Obama ally and former NBA star – Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson. He had also successfully fought to prevent this admitted taxpayer thief from receiving any federal funds in the future.
Clearly Walpin’s effectiveness in discharging his duties did not sit well with the Obamas, whose new AmeriCorps and Justice Department leaders “arranged” to lift Johnson’s suspension.
Walpin objected (vigorously) to Johnson’s suspension being lifted, and was canned.
Here’s where it gets interesting, though – thanks to a 2008 law co-sponsored by Obama himself, Presidents can’t just fire Inspectors General unless they have cause, and Obama’s initial contention that he simply “lost confidence” in Walpin didn’t pass muster with either Republicans or Democrats on Capitol Hill.
That’s when the affair turned further south.
Yesterday, the Obama administration began a Watergate-style character assassination of Walpin, portraying him as “confused, disoriented” and “unable to answer questions.”
Walpin blasted the smear campaign, reiterating that he was fired for political reasons.
Here’s the interesting thing – Obama finds himself embroiled in this scandal because he couldn’t leave well enough alone. Seriously, what was the point?
He had already succeeded in getting his con man buddy off the hook, which means the only reason for firing Walpin was to send a “Gangland-style” message to other Inspectors General that his political buddies were “Untouchables.”
Comments
By Pat Hendrix on June 18th, 2009 at 11:28 am
“key Obama ally”
Baawwahahha, yeah, how could Obama have survived without the support of Kevin Johnson. Ah, you guys sure are funny.
Too bad you guys didn’t show similiar interest when the Bush Adminstration was reaching into every corner of the government to replace seasoned prosecutors with hacks from Pat Robertson’s Law School, staffing the rebuilding of Iraq with frat boys (literally), or vetting the justice department with questions about political affiliation or sexual orientation.
Give me a break, kids.
By zamba on June 18th, 2009 at 11:44 am
I think it’s time for a special prosector!
By Saladin on June 18th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Wrong, wrong wrong. Can you link directly to any sites that indicate that Kevin Johnson was/is a “key supporter” of President Obama? Other than donating $2300 to his campaign, I do not recall KJ and the President being together at any event…
By fitsnews on June 18th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Saladhead-
Come on. The guy brags about shooting hoops with “The One.” And even if he didn’t – does that part really matter? We don’t care if he’s the Muslim equivalent of Obama’s red-headed stepchild, it doesn’t change the fact that a public investigator got fired for doing his job in direct contradiction to the clear intent of a law Obama himself co-sponsored.
We don’t care how far down the totem pole the Mayor of Sacremento is … that’s bullshit bush league status quo politics anyway you slice it – i.e. everything your Obamessiah claims to oppose.
-FITS
By Pat Hendrix on June 18th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
You might be taken more seriously if you didn’t link to the Washington Frickin Examiner and use the expressions “The One” and “Obamessiah.”
But hey, when has fits tried to be taken seriously?
By rhodes on June 18th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Wow! Firing that old man reminds me of the time Bill Clinton fired ALL fiftysomething U.S. Attorneys…
By rhodes on June 18th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
We all know that Obama is the Most Ethical President Ever. That’s right. Just ask all five of his Cabinet members who cheated on their taxes. They will tell ya!
Oops. I mean, the man swore that he would not allow any Lobbyists on his staff.
Oops. He changed his mind.
I guess if you are the Obamessiah then it’s okay to lie and expect no one to notice.
Right, Mr. Hendrix?
By rhodes on June 18th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Actually, by firing Walpin without first giving Congress a thirty day notice, Team Obama actually broke the Law.
Then again, Team Obama is the Law.
By Pat Hendrix on June 18th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Do you people have certain reflex talking points that just spill out? Five cabinet members, Obama is the law, Acorn, Obamessiah, teleprompter, etc? And before talking about Obama seeing himself above the law, try giving a look at Bush’s suspension of habeas corpus that was duly slapped down by the courts: http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/06/12/boumediene/
Or this:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92986301
We don’t even know what all the details are as of yet. And we have usual sad talking points trotted out.
In any event, if you compare this firing in the worst possible light to the partisan purging of federal positions by the Bush Administration, it looks like kid stuff.
By cerius on June 18th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Partisan purging of federal positions? Come again?
Did not Clinton summarily fire ALL U.S. Attorneys within the first several weeks of his presidency?
Where was the outrage then, Mr. Hendrix?
Partisan, indeed!
By Pat Hendrix on June 18th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Cerius,
All US Attorneys are asked for their resignation at the outset of each new adminstration. Before prancing around in your sanctimony, you should read a little about history. Let me say it again since I’m guessing you’re oblivious to facts – Every administration does it.
Nevertheless, the Bush Administration went further to clear the decks than any administration in history. If you can read the above article about Monica Goodling and the link below and not puke, you lack anything approximating shame.
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2003/0312.whoswho.html
By damn the torpedoes on June 18th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
I believe Three 6 Mafia has a song about these moves…Keepin’ It Gangsta
By zamba on June 18th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
Are those Watergate cookies I smell in the oven?
By Pat Hendrix on June 19th, 2009 at 8:18 am
Yeah, hold your breath Zamba.
By Masood Haider on June 19th, 2009 at 9:13 am
No true! But it’s amazing hpw this right wing media is jumping upon this story and as usual distorting it. They smell blood and want a republican in White House by 2012. In your dreams
By simone on June 19th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Yes, Masood, we are rapidly becoming a Bananna Republic. Our trillion dollar “government stimulus packages” have predictably produced more record unemployment.
The Blame Bush First mantra is getting pretty stale.
Soon the dollar will be replaced by another currency–maybe the Euro.
George Soros must be a very, very happy man.
By randee on June 19th, 2009 at 10:38 am
Masood,
I agree with you. With the criminal ACORN machine participating in the census, I’m sure the Republicans have not a prayer of winning any elections for generations.
By Pat Hendrix on June 22nd, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Hey Randee, the ACORN canard is getting pretty stale.
This is why the Republicans don’t win elections:
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/may/06/democratic-national-committee/republican-party-identification-shrinking/
Nobody likes them.