1. From Byron York (and there's a lot more about this one further below in this post):
Bottom line: The AmeriCorps IG accuses prominent Obama supporter of misusing AmeriCorps grant money. Prominent Obama supporter has to pay back more than $400,000 of that grant money. Obama fires AmeriCorps IG.
2.
Top aides to Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) called a last-minute, pre-emptive strike on Wednesday with a group of prominent Democratic lobbyists, warning them to advise their clients not to attend a meeting with Senate Republicans set for Thursday.
Russell Sullivan, the top staffer on Finance, and Jon Selib, Baucus’ chief of staff, met with a bloc of more than 20 contract lobbyists, including several former Baucus aides.
“They said, ‘Republicans are having this meeting and you need to let all of your clients know if they have someone there, that will be viewed as a hostile act,’” said a Democratic lobbyist who attended the meeting.
“Going to the Republican meeting will say, ‘I’m interested in working with Republicans to stop health care reform,’” the lobbyist added.
Republican leaders have been meeting with health care stakeholders for months, with those sessions occurring “more frequently than once a month,” according to a senior Senate GOP aide.
And by 'their' I mean human beings who morph into politicians. They probably begin with an appetite for it in the first place, but still. It's not a dem vs repub issue, either. It just happens that the Dems are in power so they can throw their weight around more. Switch parties, and at the most, all that happens is you change the speed with which we march to Gomorrah happens, not the direction.
Via Ace of Spades
And here's more on story #1: The President called the Inspector General of Americorps last night and told him he had an hour to resign or be fired. I wondered when I read this if perhaps the IG serve at the whim of the president, as some positions do. But apparently not:
Inspectors General are part of every federal department. They are given the responsibility of independently investigating allegations of waste, fraud, and corruption in the government, without fear of interference by political appointees or the White House. Last year Congress passed the Inspectors General Reform Act, which added new protections for IGs, including a measure requiring the president to give Congress 30 days prior notice before dismissing an IG. The president must also give Congress an explanation of why the action is needed. Then-Sen. Barack Obama was one of the co-sponsors of the Act.
Now, there is the hurried attempt to dismiss Walpin, without the required notice or cause.
More at Ace of Spades
Having been reminded that he's not allowed to fire IGs on a whim, he has to give Congress one month's notice, Obama put Walpin on suspension with pay for 30 days, telling Congress he's 'lost confidence' in Walpin. But the law requires that he tell Congress why he's dismissing an IG. Does it have anything to do with Walpin's investigation of some Obama donors who seem to have been misusing AmericaCorps funds?
I suggest you read all the links before dismissing this one. It looks pretty nasty. Travelgate all over again, with the 'refining' touch of Chicago politics.
More at HotAir as well.
According to this news story:
Kevin Hiestand, chairman of the board of St. HOPE Academy, said in a statement it was "about time" Walpin was removed. "Mr. Walpin's allegations were meritless and clearly motivated by matters beyond an honest assessment of our program."
However,
The U.S. attorney's office reached a settlement in the matter. Brown cited press accounts that said Johnson and the nonprofit would repay half of nearly $850,000 in grants it received.
Common Sense by Thomas Paine: a 'representative government ceases to be representative if the ELECTED (that's our politicians)
"form to themselves an interest separate from the ELECTORS [that's us], prudence will point out the propriety of having elections often; because as the ELECTED might by that means return and mix again with the general body of the ELECTORS in a few months, their fidelity to the public will be secured by the prudent reflection of not making a rod for themselves. And as this frequent interchange will establish a common interest with every part of the community, they will mutually and naturally support each other..."
We have a political class that is completely separate and apart from the common people. Our ELECTED have long since formed an interest to themselves separate from the ELECTORS, namely, getting reelected and solidifying their own power and perks. Even the nice ones. Pin It
