Chicago Thug Politics in Washington D.C.

[PoliticalChic]

Federal inspector generals were created to be free from political interference. Many of them serve through the terms of several presidents regardless of party affiliation. “Gerald Walpin, who as inspector general for the Corporation for National and Community Service investigated misuse of federal aid by Johnson and his nonprofit St. HOPE, was fired last week.”
The President was “unhappy with his investigation into the misuse of AmeriCorps funds by Kevin Johnson, the former NBA star who is now mayor of Sacramento, California and a prominent supporter of President Obama.”

“Walpin learned his fate Wednesday night. He was driving to an event in upstate New York when he received a call from Norman Eisen, the Special Counsel to the President for Ethics and Government Reform. "He said, ‘Mr. Walpin, the president wants me to tell you that he really appreciates your service, but it's time to move on,'" Walpin recalls. "Eisen said, 'You can either resign, or I'll tell you that we'll have to terminate you.'”

“The method of Walpin's firing could be a violation of the 2008 Inspectors General Reform Act, which requires the president to give Congress 30 days' notice, plus an explanation of cause, before firing an inspector general.”
No deniability for the President, since Eisen said, “the president wants me to tell you…”

“President Obama's unexpected firing last Thursday of an inspector general looked suspicious. Now the story is getting worse.” Early reports on the firing focused on Mr. Walpin's work exposing serious irregularities in the use of AmeriCorps funds by Kevin Johnson, the Sacramento mayor who is a political supporter of Mr. Obama's.

“The board chairman is Alan Solomont, a longtime top Democratic donor who bundled more than $800,000 combined for the Obama presidential campaign and Inauguration”. The quid pro quo, it appears, was $80 million in taxpayer funds to the Teaching Fellows Program, which, Mr. Walpin found the AmeriCorp funds “adds no service to the community which is not already provided by the Fellows Program." “…the president forced Mr. Walpin out within a week of his June 4 report on substantial waste at the New York program.”

Recall this, from Slate.com: “Barack Obama promised to run the most transparent White House in history—disclosing donations, shunning lobbyists, and broadcasting important meetings on C-SPAN."

Gerald Walpin speaks: The inside story of the AmeriCorps firing | Washington Examiner

EDITORIAL: Obama's Walpin-gate problem - Washington Times

 

[KMAN]

Federal inspector generals were created to be free from political interference. Many of them serve through the terms of several presidents regardless of party affiliation. “Gerald Walpin, who as inspector general for the Corporation for National and Community Service investigated misuse of federal aid by Johnson and his nonprofit St. HOPE, was fired last week.”
The President was “unhappy with his investigation into the misuse of AmeriCorps funds by Kevin Johnson, the former NBA star who is now mayor of Sacramento, California and a prominent supporter of President Obama.”

“Walpin learned his fate Wednesday night. He was driving to an event in upstate New York when he received a call from Norman Eisen, the Special Counsel to the President for Ethics and Government Reform. "He said, ‘Mr. Walpin, the president wants me to tell you that he really appreciates your service, but it's time to move on,'" Walpin recalls. "Eisen said, 'You can either resign, or I'll tell you that we'll have to terminate you.'”

“The method of Walpin's firing could be a violation of the 2008 Inspectors General Reform Act, which requires the president to give Congress 30 days' notice, plus an explanation of cause, before firing an inspector general.”
No deniability for the President, since Eisen said, “the president wants me to tell you…”

“President Obama's unexpected firing last Thursday of an inspector general looked suspicious. Now the story is getting worse.” Early reports on the firing focused on Mr. Walpin's work exposing serious irregularities in the use of AmeriCorps funds by Kevin Johnson, the Sacramento mayor who is a political supporter of Mr. Obama's.

“The board chairman is Alan Solomont, a longtime top Democratic donor who bundled more than $800,000 combined for the Obama presidential campaign and Inauguration”. The quid pro quo, it appears, was $80 million in taxpayer funds to the Teaching Fellows Program, which, Mr. Walpin found the AmeriCorp funds “adds no service to the community which is not already provided by the Fellows Program." “…the president forced Mr. Walpin out within a week of his June 4 report on substantial waste at the New York program.”

Recall this, from Slate.com: “Barack Obama promised to run the most transparent White House in history—disclosing donations, shunning lobbyists, and broadcasting important meetings on C-SPAN."

Gerald Walpin speaks: The inside story of the AmeriCorps firing | Washington Examiner

EDITORIAL: Obama's Walpin-gate problem - Washington Times

More proof that Obama will take care of you if you do something he doesn't like.... and this guy was just doing his job... scary stuff.

 

[WillowTree]

crickets,, i hear crickets.

 

[twogreen2c]

What a nice guy this Obama is, eh? Our leader/dictator.

 

[Xenophon]

Things are getting worse, not better.

 

[Sweet Willy]

In that email, as well as other documents surrounding Walpin's termination obtained by ABC News, a picture emerges of an ambitious and aggressive inspector general whose actions repeatedly offended officials of the US Attorney's office, to the point that the Republican-appointee in the US Attorney's office filed an official complaint against the Republican-appointed Inspector General.

In a follow-up letter, White House counsel Greg Craig -- responding to a letter of concern about Walpin’s termination from Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa -- noted that Lawrence Brown, the “Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of California, a career prosecutor who was appointed to his post during the Bush Administration, has referred Mr. Walpin’s conduct for review by the Integrity Committee of the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency.”

More Details Emerge In President Obama's Firing of Inspector General - Political Punch

This guy has complaints against him by all kinds of people including Republican prosecutors. Sounds like this has been a long time coming for Mr. Walpin.

 

[PoliticalChic]

In that email, as well as other documents surrounding Walpin's termination obtained by ABC News, a picture emerges of an ambitious and aggressive inspector general whose actions repeatedly offended officials of the US Attorney's office, to the point that the Republican-appointee in the US Attorney's office filed an official complaint against the Republican-appointed Inspector General.

In a follow-up letter, White House counsel Greg Craig -- responding to a letter of concern about Walpin’s termination from Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa -- noted that Lawrence Brown, the “Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of California, a career prosecutor who was appointed to his post during the Bush Administration, has referred Mr. Walpin’s conduct for review by the Integrity Committee of the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency.”

More Details Emerge In President Obama's Firing of Inspector General - Political Punch

This guy has complaints against him by all kinds of people including Republican prosecutors. Sounds like this has been a long time coming for Mr. Walpin.

I thought you would be a bit more perceptive.

Your post exhibits the stereotypical hatchet job on a whistle blower.

Note that both"pay-off" candidates were huge Obama supporters.

Further note that there is a statute, voted in the affirmative by Senator Obama, that specifies protocol for such a firing.

To put a fine point on it, reverse the current administration with the previous, and tell me that you would be as 'judicious' in your chin-stroking.

 

[Sweet Willy]

In that email, as well as other documents surrounding Walpin's termination obtained by ABC News, a picture emerges of an ambitious and aggressive inspector general whose actions repeatedly offended officials of the US Attorney's office, to the point that the Republican-appointee in the US Attorney's office filed an official complaint against the Republican-appointed Inspector General.

In a follow-up letter, White House counsel Greg Craig -- responding to a letter of concern about Walpin’s termination from Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa -- noted that Lawrence Brown, the “Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of California, a career prosecutor who was appointed to his post during the Bush Administration, has referred Mr. Walpin’s conduct for review by the Integrity Committee of the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency.”

More Details Emerge In President Obama's Firing of Inspector General - Political Punch

This guy has complaints against him by all kinds of people including Republican prosecutors. Sounds like this has been a long time coming for Mr. Walpin.

I thought you would be a bit more perceptive.

Your post exhibits the stereotypical hatchet job on a whistle blower.

Note that both"pay-off" candidates were huge Obama supporters.

Further note that there is a statute, voted in the affirmative by Senator Obama, that specifies protocol for such a firing.

To put a fine point on it, reverse the current administration with the previous, and tell me that you would be as 'judicious' in your chin-stroking.

Not taking sides. Just reporting the previous complaints against this guy by Republicans. There was bipartisan disapproval of the guy.

 

[PoliticalChic]

More Details Emerge In President Obama's Firing of Inspector General - Political Punch

This guy has complaints against him by all kinds of people including Republican prosecutors. Sounds like this has been a long time coming for Mr. Walpin.

I thought you would be a bit more perceptive.

Your post exhibits the stereotypical hatchet job on a whistle blower.

Note that both"pay-off" candidates were huge Obama supporters.

Further note that there is a statute, voted in the affirmative by Senator Obama, that specifies protocol for such a firing.

To put a fine point on it, reverse the current administration with the previous, and tell me that you would be as 'judicious' in your chin-stroking.

Not taking sides. Just reporting the previous complaints against this guy by Republicans. There was bipartisan disapproval of the guy.

Aggressive sounds pretty much like what I'd want in an IG.

Did you notice that there's $80 Million at stake at CUNY, and that Johnson has agreed to pay money back?

How about taking sides.

 

[amrchaos]

I see. Republicans are not "with" Big Brother Obama on these stimulus and tax plans.

Nonetheless, The democrats will silence them. First, there will be a new tax--the "Against Obama" tax, that will be levied against all conservative enterprises.

2nd, the seizure of all properties owned by registered Republicans.

3rd--the shut down of all communication outlets hosted by conservatives. That is right rush--you did not retire, we Fired you.

Finally, a daily dosage of MSNBC on all airwaves. We feel that CNN is too conservative to our taste and must shut it down.

Now conservatives must shut up and obey The Big Brother Obama. In order to make the transition easier for those conservatives , please repeat this mantra.

"Obama is going to lead us.
Obama is going to lead us.
To a world filled with
peace and happiness
Obama is going to lead us. Yay"

 

[Sweet Willy]

I thought you would be a bit more perceptive.

Your post exhibits the stereotypical hatchet job on a whistle blower.

Note that both"pay-off" candidates were huge Obama supporters.

Further note that there is a statute, voted in the affirmative by Senator Obama, that specifies protocol for such a firing.

To put a fine point on it, reverse the current administration with the previous, and tell me that you would be as 'judicious' in your chin-stroking.

Not taking sides. Just reporting the previous complaints against this guy by Republicans. There was bipartisan disapproval of the guy.

Aggressive sounds pretty much like what I'd want in an IG.

Did you notice that there's $80 Million at stake at CUNY, and that Johnson has agreed to pay money back?

How about taking sides.

Sorry, I don't see any political side to take. Until there is more information, I don't see anything but a guy who got fired after multiple people filed complaints on him from both sides of the political spectrum.

The issue of this misuse of funds seemed to be settled with the money being repaid. The prosecutor declined to file charges due to a lack of an audit. An audit that should have been done by the IG. He didn't do his job. It got him fired.

Forgive me, but not doing your job and having complaints made against you by your peers and co workers is not political. It's just not doing your job.

 

[Derek_Plumber]

The issue of this misuse of funds seemed to be settled with the money being repaid.

Thank you for giving Chicago a fair shot. Having been raised there, and especially since Obama became president, I am tired of listening to bad things about Chicago's exceptionally strong people. While the rest of the nation has gone its merry way for well over a hundred years, something happened in Chicago that changed the way we do things. Chicago gets things done in its own way. It is because of something that happened in the summer of 1871.

It was very dry, leaving the ground parched and the wooden city vulnerable. On Sunday evening, October 8, 1871, just after nine o'clock, a fire broke out in the barn behind the home of Patrick and Catherine O'Leary at 13 DeKoven Street. How the fire started is still unknown today, but an O'Leary cow often gets the credit. This was the great Chicago fire. This was the day Chicago distinguished itself as folks of strong character.

After two days, rain began to fall and the fire died out, leaving complete devastation in the heart of the city. At least 300 people were dead, 100,000 people were homeless, and $200million worth of property was destroyed. The entire central business district of Chicago was leveled. The fire was one of the most spectacular events of the nineteenth century, and it is recognized as a major milestone in the city's history.

Chicagoans learned to work together. They learned to move as one group. Lake Shore Drive and O'hare Airport are two solid examples of how Chicagoans get things done. Obama is now a man of the nation. But back in Chicago, like his father before him, Mayor Richard M. Daley does the worrying for the people of Chicago.