It's Not Just One IG, At Least 3

[MaggieMae]

If he's still being paid for the next 30 days, it doesn't matter that his stuff was packed, IMO. And if this is true, then one would understand why he'd be out....

Yes, it does matter. The POTUS cannot remove these IGs until after the 30 days has expired. The law is clear, counselor.

And as to the smears Obama has put out on Walprin being "confused" and maybe even senile? No dice, he passed the test on that just yesterday.

And even if so, Jillian, he now has a ADA claim does he not? Yes, he does.

Not to sway from the topic, but when you consider Biden is your VP, they have a lot of nerve implying Walprin maybe be confused and even senile.

So may we presume you have some sort of proof for that asinine comment? Oh my, did something "leak out" about Biden that's now making the rounds of the right-wing blogosphere??

 

[del]

Yes, it does matter. The POTUS cannot remove these IGs until after the 30 days has expired. The law is clear, counselor.

And as to the smears Obama has put out on Walprin being "confused" and maybe even senile? No dice, he passed the test on that just yesterday.

And even if so, Jillian, he now has a ADA claim does he not? Yes, he does.

Not to sway from the topic, but when you consider Biden is your VP, they have a lot of nerve implying Walprin maybe be confused and even senile.

So may we presume you have some sort of proof for that asinine comment? Oh my, did something "leak out" about Biden that's now making the rounds of the right-wing blogosphere??

yeah, he spoke. about anything.

 

[MaggieMae]

First off, I posted the LAW earlier. The one that spells it out clearly, these IGs cannot be removed until AFTER the 30-day notice has expired.

Under the Americans with Disabilities act, dementia and senility -- and even AGE -- are protected. The employer is required to attempt to make accommodations. This applies to the hiring process as well as to the termination process.

Here's an account of the firing, from Walprin himself:

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

Here's Hot Air's take on the test, not that you'll read it or watch the video:

Hot Air » Blog Archive » Sweet: Glenn Beck gives Gerald Walpin a senility test

I know none of you Obamaphiles really care what Obama does. That's a given. But my own optimism of the human being allows me to at least try to get your brain cells working again. Because I am optimistic that you still have them, somewhere in the foggy haze of Obama cult worship.

How stupid. I don't suppose it occurred to Glenn Beck that Mr. Walpin might have been SOBER when he took the silly test, and a little tipsy during meetings. He wanted to work from home? Hmmm... Why? Does Beck even remember that he once didn't know the time of day?

Here's another news flash: Early Alzheimers patients would also be able to pass such a childish test.

There's more to this story than meets the eye[balls] of Glenn Beck and the other foxhounds.

Seriously. Just because someone can pass an ADA test, that means they are competent to be an IG?

I guess I COULD make the case that Mr. Walpin didn't seem to know what day it was (part of the test), but hey, he identified a watch as a watch, so he's fine according to Mr. Expert, although short-term memory loss is a significant symptom of early Alzheimers.

 

[MaggieMae]

Not to sway from the topic, but when you consider Biden is your VP, they have a lot of nerve implying Walprin maybe be confused and even senile.

So may we presume you have some sort of proof for that asinine comment? Oh my, did something "leak out" about Biden that's now making the rounds of the right-wing blogosphere??

yeah, he spoke. about anything.

You only sound really dumb with that kind of comment, del. Biden can run circles around anything the Republicans have to offer. He calls a spade a spade and kicks ass Truman style. So what? I thought you guys preferred blunt talk rather than practiced propaganda.

 

[del]

So may we presume you have some sort of proof for that asinine comment? Oh my, did something "leak out" about Biden that's now making the rounds of the right-wing blogosphere??

yeah, he spoke. about anything.

You only sound really dumb with that kind of comment, del. Biden can run circles around anything the Republicans have to offer. He calls a spade a spade and kicks ass Truman style. So what? I thought you guys preferred blunt talk rather than practiced propaganda.

there's no doubt in my mind that when it comes to running in circles, joe biden is tops! thanks for the reminder.

 

[jreeves]

Then perhaps you should educate yourself before speaking, eh?

IG's are appointed by the president. They are fired by the president. They serve at his pleasure.

Aren't you even capable of doing a simple google search? Why don't you read up on how Obama voted on this situation whenever he was a senator? Do you even realize what the situation is here? I'm guessing not.

Yes, I'm aware. The president has to give a reason to Congress as to why he fired the IG. Congress can like the reason, dislike the reason, but really can't do all that much about it.

Here is the specific language.

An Inspector General may be removed from office by the President. The President shall communicate the reasons for any such removal to both Houses of Congress.

Does it say anywhere that Congress can object?

Yeah I guess transparency isn't all the rave Obama thought it was going to be?

 

[Baruch Menachem]

Nice to return to our regularly scheduled invective.

To return to the topic at hand, 0bama fired someone for investigating a crony of his. The person fired was not one of the AG's who could be fired for no cause, but instead was a inspector general (Not Gogol's inspector General {a movie Danny Kaye just ruined}) who could only be fired for cause (0bama's notice of cause was pretty darn flippant) with notice to congress with a 30 day holding period before termination.

Bush fired AGs for political reasons, as is his perfect right. (0bama's too, for that matter) 0bama is firing an IG who caught a friend of 0bama's with his hand in the cookie jar without following the rules on executive level firings that he wrote.

Now, I personally think that the law regarding this is pretty goofy. I also think it would have a hard time passing muster in the courts, as we went through this foolishness before with President Johnson and Secretary of War Stanton quite a while ago. But it s the law now, and 0bama is the one who came up with the concept, so he should pay it some kind of lip service.

 

[Annie]

Nice to return to our regularly scheduled invective.

To return to the topic at hand, 0bama fired someone for investigating a crony of his. The person fired was not one of the AG's who could be fired for no cause, but instead was a inspector general (Not Gogol's inspector General {a movie Danny Kaye just ruined}) who could only be fired for cause (0bama's notice of cause was pretty darn flippant) with notice to congress with a 30 day holding period before termination.

Bush fired AGs for political reasons, as is his perfect right. (0bama's too, for that matter) 0bama is firing an IG who caught a friend of 0bama's with his hand in the cookie jar without following the rules on executive level firings that he wrote.

Now, I personally think that the law regarding this is pretty goofy. I also think it would have a hard time passing muster in the courts, as we went through this foolishness before with President Johnson and Secretary of War Stanton quite a while ago. But it s the law now, and 0bama is the one who came up with the concept, so he should pay it some kind of lip service.

Yeppers on all counts. Yet we KNOW he will NOT be held accountable. Are we seeing articles about his being one of the sponsors of the bill? Nope.

 

[Baruch Menachem]

He is being held to account. there is a howling and a hue and cry that makes him very uncomfortable about trying this on again.

And as for the crony, he is probably not happy about this either, as that means large number of questions that might have been swept under a rug in the normal course of events are seeing more light of day than is good for him too.

And what does this action of 0bama's do for 'hope and change?' What those who voted for him are getting is despair and same old same old. the last ditch old guard types here are defending it, as they will defend anything indefensible. But the rest of the world is watching. And is not impressed.

 

[jreeves]

Nice to return to our regularly scheduled invective.

To return to the topic at hand, 0bama fired someone for investigating a crony of his. The person fired was not one of the AG's who could be fired for no cause, but instead was a inspector general (Not Gogol's inspector General {a movie Danny Kaye just ruined}) who could only be fired for cause (0bama's notice of cause was pretty darn flippant) with notice to congress with a 30 day holding period before termination.

Bush fired AGs for political reasons, as is his perfect right. (0bama's too, for that matter) 0bama is firing an IG who caught a friend of 0bama's with his hand in the cookie jar without following the rules on executive level firings that he wrote.

Now, I personally think that the law regarding this is pretty goofy. I also think it would have a hard time passing muster in the courts, as we went through this foolishness before with President Johnson and Secretary of War Stanton quite a while ago. But it s the law now, and 0bama is the one who came up with the concept, so he should pay it some kind of lip service.

Yeppers on all counts. Yet we KNOW he will NOT be held accountable. Are we seeing articles about his being one of the sponsors of the bill? Nope.

What do you wanna bet the newly appointed IG isn't so inquisitive of how stimulus dollars are being spent?

 

[driveby]

So may we presume you have some sort of proof for that asinine comment? Oh my, did something "leak out" about Biden that's now making the rounds of the right-wing blogosphere??

yeah, he spoke. about anything.

You only sound really dumb with that kind of comment, del. Biden can run circles around anything the Republicans have to offer. He calls a spade a spade and kicks ass Truman style. So what? I thought you guys preferred blunt talk rather than practiced propaganda.

The walking talking gaffe machine kicks ass .............



You blue kool aid drinkers sure are funny motherfuckers ...........

 

[Annie]

We'll see if this goes the way of Pelosi and CIA...

Timing of Treasury Department challenge, AIG probe raises concerns - Los Angeles Times

Timing of Treasury Department challenge, AIG probe raises concerns
The challenge to TARP watchdog Neil Barofsky's authority came as he began an investigation of the department's role in approving bonuses to executives of insurance giant AIG, sources say.
By Tom Hamburger

June 19, 2009

Reporting from Washington — A Treasury Department challenge to the authority of government bailout watchdog Neil M. Barofsky came just as he had begun a sensitive investigation of the department's role in approving bonuses to executives of insurance giant AIG, sources said Thursday.

Department lawyers had sent a message to Barofsky, special inspector general for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, suggesting that lawyer-client privilege could restrict some of his inquiries.

Within a day, Barofsky was assured there would be no impediment to his audits, and all requested documents were provided to his office.

But the proximity of the department's challenge to Barofsky's investigation has raised concerns about the timing of the two events.

And though the matter was resolved for the AIG inquiries, it leaves open the possibility of conflict in the future as audits of the massive program multiply.

Asked why Barofsky's legal authority was challenged by the department just as the AIG inquiry began, Treasury Department spokesman Andrew Williams said: "It is entirely a coincidence."

Treasury Department lawyers say they are still unclear about the legal authority of the special inspector general and have requested clarification from the Justice Department.

Williams said that the decision to send the question to the Justice Department was finalized only after Barofsky, who is responsible for identifying fraud and waste in the government's bailout of the financial system, was consulted and said he had no objection.

The department's skepticism about Barofsky's authority was first disclosed in a letter Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) sent Wednesday to Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner asking for information about a "dispute over certain Treasury documents" that he said were being withheld on a "specious claim of attorney-client privilege."

At the time, it was not known that Barofsky's inquiry focused on the Treasury Department's role in approving AIG bonuses -- a fact confirmed Thursday through sources familiar with the investigation....

 

[Baruch Menachem]

Interesting thing about the whole mess is that 0bama is pretty much making this a big part of his method of administration. You ask inconvenient questions, you are gone. It was the way he ran his campaign, both for Senate and POTUS. This is the kind of thing folks were voting FOR.

Now, if you are an employee of the Justice department, what does that tell you about what your job is?

This whole exercise is going to be one of cleaning out the honest, and bringing to heel anyone with any concept of independence.

 

[DiveCon]

ahh, but you can fire someone for not having sex with you. you just have to be intelligent enough to give a different reason, or no reason at all.

if they can prove the firing was illegal, which is highly unlikely, they may get a monetary settlement or if it's a civil service job, they may get their job back.

you ever been to the real world?

So you acknowledge that there is a difference then? Good, congratulations on acknowledging reality.

We were talking about the law, not about how hard or easy it is to prove the laws been broken. But nice attempt at backtracking there though.

no, i'm not, but feel free to declare victory and run along.

this moron is good at that

 

[DiveCon]

Interesting thing about the whole mess is that 0bama is pretty much making this a big part of his method of administration. You ask inconvenient questions, you are gone. It was the way he ran his campaign, both for Senate and POTUS. This is the kind of thing folks were voting FOR.

Now, if you are an employee of the Justice department, what does that tell you about what your job is?

This whole exercise is going to be one of cleaning out the honest, and bringing to heel anyone with any concept of independence.

well, as he said when meeting the GOP leaders in congress

"I won"

 

[Annie]

Been waiting for Kass to write on this, should have known it would be Sunday:

Obama's political play should shock no one -- chicagotribune.com

chicagotribune.com

Obama's political play should shock no one

John Kass

June 21, 2009


It's amusing to watch the Washington political establishment feign shock, now that President Barack Obama's reform administration has used a clay foot to vigorously kick one inspector general and boot another out the door.

One inspector general foolishly investigated a friend of the president. Another inspector general audited those juicy bonuses given to AIG executives as part of $700 billion federal bailout of the financial industry.

It's a decent man-bites-dog story, at least until North Korea tries lobbing a few missiles toward Hawaii. But until that happens, the political talk shows will buzz about Neil Barofsky, the inspector general overseeing the financial bailout.

Barofsky now claims that his autonomy will be compromised if the Obama Justice Department rules that he is merely a functionary of the Department of Treasury.

"An adverse ruling ... could potentially have a serious impact on the independence of our agency and our ability to carry out our mandate," Barofsky wrote in a letter to ranking senators on Friday...

...But our president is from Chicago. Obama's Media Merlin David Axelrod and chief of staff Rahm Emanuel come right from Chicago Democratic machine boss Mayor Richard Daley. They don't believe in fairies.

Daley can't wait to be rid of his own inspector general, David Hoffman, who had the audacity to question why Daley's nephew received $68 million in city pension funds to invest. The mayor insists he didn't know anything about it. Nobody with a functioning brain believes the mayor.

The second that Hoffman's term expires, the mayor will change the locks on his office doors and move Hoffman's house plants out into the cold. Daley might even send some of the same political tough guys who helped elect Emanuel to Congress years ago, all in the name of reform.

It's the Chicago Way. Now, formally, it's also the Chicago on the Potomac Way....

...During the presidential campaign, the message expertly spun by Daley's mouthpiece, Axelrod, was that Obama would bring hope and change and transform the cynical politics of the past.

The Washington Beltway media pack, exhausted after the cynicism of the Bush years, was eager for change. Many fired up their Hopium pipes and waited, glassy eyed, for the rapture, all but chanting "Yes We Can." Now they're coming down hard.

So here's my question:

What's the big surprise? What strange, exotic land do they think Obama comes from?

Do they think Obama learned his politics in Narnia, while cavorting with gentle forest creatures, some of which have hooves and serve tea and cakes to journalists and well-mannered English schoolgirls on snowy winter afternoons?

Did Obama learn politics in Camelot, the magical kingdom where federal czars sit at a great round table, all for the good of the simple peasants? Or did he learn politics along that famous highway, you know, the one that's always paved with good intentions?

No. Obama learned his politics in Chicago.

And now all of Washington can learn it, too.

 

[Baruch Menachem]

I don't think this is a matter of "Chicago Politics." I think something a great deal worse is at work here.

The rise of the narcissistic sociopath

For the narcissist it is always a zero-sum game he or she plays with other individuals. From the perspective of the narcissist, if someone else "wins", the narcissist "loses". It cannot be otherwise, since on some level they know that their own talent and skills are way overblown. Hence, they cannot hope to "win" based on those talents alone. Thus, the behavior of the classic narcissist is mostly directed toward making others lose so they can win by default. To that end, there is no behavior or tactic that is considered out -of-bounds or over-the-top.

The state of political discourse in this country was bad enough, with the ubiquitous personal attacks that have become the trademark of all political campaigns; but Barack Obama has taken this to a higher plane of being-- and destroying.

We are definitely seeing a pattern in the way 0bama does things. Laws are broken, circumvented, evaded. Anyone who questions is not debated, because there really has been nothing to debate. Those who question are smashed.

I posted Rush's comment before that when 0bama read 1984 he took notes as to his method of administration. And one of the interesting ideas he took was the two minute hate. This is going to be an amazing four years, and the way things are going, and as young and healthy as 0bama is , an amazing 40 years.

 

[Annie]

I don't think this is a matter of "Chicago Politics." I think something a great deal worse is at work here.

The rise of the narcissistic sociopath

For the narcissist it is always a zero-sum game he or she plays with other individuals. From the perspective of the narcissist, if someone else "wins", the narcissist "loses". It cannot be otherwise, since on some level they know that their own talent and skills are way overblown. Hence, they cannot hope to "win" based on those talents alone. Thus, the behavior of the classic narcissist is mostly directed toward making others lose so they can win by default. To that end, there is no behavior or tactic that is considered out -of-bounds or over-the-top.

The state of political discourse in this country was bad enough, with the ubiquitous personal attacks that have become the trademark of all political campaigns; but Barack Obama has taken this to a higher plane of being-- and destroying.

We are definitely seeing a pattern in the way 0bama does things. Laws are broken, circumvented, evaded. Anyone who questions is not debated, because there really has been nothing to debate. Those who question are smashed.

I posted Rush's comment before that when 0bama read 1984 he took notes as to his method of administration. And one of the interesting ideas he took was the two minute hate. This is going to be an amazing four years, and the way things are going, and as young and healthy as 0bama is , an amazing 40 years.

I agree with the narcissistic personality, but the politics and expectations are pure Chicago.