- Dec 18, 2011
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What is the Obama administration hiding? They just don't cooperate with any investigation and go to great lengths to keep information secret.
Inspectors General: Obama Administration Obstructing Justice
On Aug. 5, 47 of the federal governments 73 inspectors general, many of whom were appointed by President Obama, sent their letter to Issa, Sen. Thomas Carper (D-Del.), and the ranking members of the House Oversight and Government Reform and Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committees essentially pleading with Congress to help the IGs do their jobs uncovering waste, mismanagement, fraud, and corruption within their respective agencies.
In the letter, the IGs complain about the serious limitations on access to records that have recently impeded the work of IGs at the Peace Corps, the EPA, and the Department of Justice. Administration lawyers have construed laws related to privilege in a manner that would override the express authorization contained in the IG Act and seriously impede the ability [of the IGs] to conduct our work thoroughly, independently, and in a timely manner.
According to the letter, the Justice Department withheld essential records in three different reviews, despite the fact that such records had been produced for the DOJ IG in many prior reviews without objection. Michael Horowitz eventually got access to the files, it seems, but not because Department officials realized they were misinterpreting the IG law in withholding access. No, Horowitz got the records only after DOJ leadership decided that the three reviews were of assistance to the Department of Justices leadership.
In other words, Attorney General Eric Holder and his political subordinates only gave the IG access to these records because they decided there was nothing in them that would prove embarrassing.
Inspectors General: Obama Administration Obstructing Justice