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Interview with Fired Inspector Gerald Walpin

By Lou Dobbs Tonight

DOBBS: The Obama administration said it fired an AmeriCorps inspector general because he was incompetent and showed up to a meeting, quote, “confused and disoriented.”

Gerald Walpin is technically on administrative leave. Administration critics say Walpin was removed because he uncovered waste in the federal program run by one of the president’s supporters and friends.

Joining me now the man at the center of this controversy and political storm, Gerald Walpin.

Good to have with us.

GERALD WALPIN, FMR. AMERICORPS INSPECTOR GENERAL: Glad you invited me, thank you.

DOBBS: You were told summarily that you were fired, is that correct?

WALPIN: I was told that I would either resign or be fired and I was given one hour to decide and I thought my obligation to this country was that I stand up to this, which was clearly a firing having to do with the fact that I was doing my job.

DOBBS: Who was on the other end of the phone?

WALPIN: A man by the name Norman Eisen who identified himself as special counsel to the president.

DOBBS: And the reason he gave you for wanting you out?

WALPIN: The only reason he gave is that the president — in fact, what his words were, the president appreciated my service to the country but thought it was time for me to move on.

DOBBS: Of — well, of 64 total offices of inspector general, three fired. You among them, one of the most prominent. The White House did not respond to your firing in explanation beyond the perfunctory until Senator Claire McCaskill straighten the White House out on requirements of the law, which is to give 30 days notice to Congress which had not been done. WALPIN: Before being fired.

DOBBS: Correct.

WALPIN: And certainly was done and still has not been done.

DOBBS: And this language, Mr. Walton was confused, disoriented, unable to answer questions and exhibited other behavior that led the board to question his capacity to serve.

WALPIN: Well, I have to tell that explanation, supposed reason, was given only as the third reason. The only reason given to Congress when the letter was sent to Congress was that he had lost confidence in me.

This letter you referred to was sent to just two senators, not Congress as a whole.

DOBBS: Right.

WALPIN: And secondly, I’ll let the public know — say whether I am incoherent and unable to answer questions. The fact is I see in this as code words for somebody who’s not young, I’m not. I’ll be 78, and suggesting senility.

I think this is one of the greatest insults to somebody who, after a full professional life, decided to give something back to the country by serving this position when the White House called me to ask me to do it.

DOBBS: What is it you learned and the administration apparently either feared you would further disclose or simply reacted, as you suggested, as punishment for your efforts?

WALPIN: You mean what did we learn in our investigations? There were two different ones. One was — and has never been denied — that AmeriCorps money was improperly used by now Mayor Johnson to use AmeriCorps members for his own personal purposes.

The second one was in CUNY where over $800 million has been given to a program. The program that CUNY has is very good to supply teachers to underserved schools. But the AmeriCorps, money wasn’t needed because they got all their teachers and signed them up before they said I will get something extra.

DOBBS: And the results of your investigations and disclosures?

WALPIN: The corporation, which is the agency involved, rejected them without explaining why the findings and facts. And these are findings and facts made by long-time public servants in my office.

DOBBS: Well, Senator...

WALPIN: (INAUDIBLE)

DOBBS: Senator Chuck Grassley has sent the White House our list of 12 specific questions. Do you believe that there are other political motivations at work here?

WALPIN: I don’t want to speculate. All I know is what was done was wrong and it was done I think to send a chilling message to all inspectors general that they should not touch any hot topics.

DOBBS: Not to touch any hot topics, by which...

WALPIN: I mean topics that may be close to somebody who is at the pinnacle of power.

DOBBS: Or embarrassing specifically to the president or his friends.

WALPIN: That’s right.

DOBBS: Well, what is the next step here in your best estimate?

WALPIN: My — I don’t know what will happen, but I am asking obviously that the public know about it and I’d love to see Congress engage in an investigation and a hearing so that all the facts could come out.

DOBBS: Well, responding in that direction, Congressman Darryl Issa, Senator Chuck Grassley, Senator Claire McCaskill, a good friend and supporter of the president, the first to take up support of the law in your behalf, and it will be a story that I assure you we will be following here.

We appreciate it.

WALPIN: Lou, we appreciate — I appreciate your asking me to come in.

DOBBS: Thank you. Gerald Walpin.