Posted on 06/16/2009 12:45:54 PM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
An official responsible for monitoring how federal funds for volunteerism are spent told FOX News he was fired by President Obama for doing his job, and suggested it was payback for investigating the alleged misuse of grant money by the Sacramento mayor, an Obama backer.
Gerald Walpin, who until last week was the chief internal watchdog for AmericCorps and other service programs, suggested "political pressure" was behind his ouster. He said he worried the action will have a "chilling effect" on other inspectors general.
Obama gave little explanation for the decision, writing in a letter sent Thursday that he no longer had the "fullest confidence" in Walpin.
The president's decision followed Walpin's investigation into the alleged misuse of federal grants by Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, a former NBA star and an Obama supporter who heads a nonprofit education group.
"I am the victim of being fired because I was doing my job and doing it properly," Walpin told FOX News Tuesday. He said he could not let concern for "political pressure" interfere with his staff's pursuit of the investigation -- noting that it was his staff, not him personally, that pursued the inquiry.
He also defended the findings, saying AmeriCorps requested the investigation in the first place.
Walpin said the probe revealed that Johnson "misused" AmeriCorps volunteers for "personal purposes," by having them help in political campaigns and even wash his car.
"They never disputed it whatsoever," Walpin said. "And indeed the agency itself found that our statements were correct and our findings were correct."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Obama’s gonna get smacked down eventually if he continues to fight what are the political equivalent of drunken street brawls.
The list, ping
This is impeachment material. Nothing will come of it, given the wholly owned national media and gutless republican party.
This requires a full investigation and accounting. Does Obama believe he is above the Law?
bookmark
O’s crony protection plan is alive and working well.
New era of transparency, don’t you know.
No. He KNOWS he is above the laW.
Nothing to see here, just the same old Chicago politics.
He is above the law until someone, anyone calls him on it.
No one has spine enough to do it.
If this isn’t impeachable, what in the hell is?
Here comes the volunteer czar.
This was actually a message to federal employees. The message is as follows, “Barrak Obam will use the publics money for his own political party and positions. If you report this illegal activity, YOU WILL BE FIRED.”
“Does Obama believe he is above the Law?”
Actually, Imam Obama believes...... he IS the law.
I thought he thought he was the messiah.
This firing of an Investigator General is against the law. Does anyone have the standing to sure the messiah?
sure = sue. Sorry.
Frank Hague, of course, was a big-city, ward-heeling patronage Democrat.
Yes, most liberals do as well.
“Gerald Walpin ... got jobbed”
He had it comin’ (He had it comin’)
He only had himself to blame
If you’d a been there, if you’d a seen it
I think that you would have done the same
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