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June 17, 2009

Crooks and cronies update: Obama's Americorps scandal

Topics: Political News and commentaries

Its Chicago-style politics in the White House at the highest level - Barack and Michelle Obama. As Michelle Malkin puts it, at Americorp its spend, spend, spend -- and no one to watch over all this new AmeriCorps spending. The Obamas wouldn't have it any other way. And God forbid anyone stand in their way or attempt to expose the corruption. Transparency.

"Accountability. Fiscal responsibility. In Obama World, these are proving to be nothing more than words. Just words." (Michelle Malkin)

Such is the case in Obama's firing of Gerald Walpin - without cause. He was simply doing his job as an Inspector General - investigating AmeriCorps money that went to a community group called St. HOPE Academy, which was founded by Kevin Johnson, former point guard of the Phoenix Suns, who was elected Mayor of Sacramento last November, and who just happens to be a huge supporter of the Obama's.

Details of this are covered in the following Glenn Beck interview with Byron York and the fired IG Gerald Walpin provide significant insight into the great degree of scandal involving his firing and what he was looking into before he was fired (Hat tip - jbranstetter04).

Obama Fires Inspector General for doing his Job - IG Gerald Walpin interviewed by Glenn Beck

In Michelle Malkin's syndicated column today she digs further into Obama's AmeriCorruption, and notes that we now have the White House in full Chicago thug mode -- maligning fired AmeriCorps inspector general Gerald Walpin as "confused" and "disoriented." - the response after Democrat Sen. Claire McCaskill weighed in and pronounced herself unsatistifed with Obama's "loss of confidence" rationale.

Here are a few excerpts from Michelle's column, "Obama's AmeriCrooks and cronies scandal":

[...] President Obama promised he would end "Washington games." But his abrupt firing of the AmeriCorps inspector general is more of the same. The brewing scandal smells like the Beltway cronyism of the Bush years. And the apparent meddling of First Lady Michelle Obama in the matter smacks of the corruption of the Clinton years.

If Obama keeps up with this "change," we'll be back to the Watergate era by Christmas.

News of AmeriCorps watchdog Gerald Walpin's unceremonious dismissal first broke last week in Youth Today, an independent national publication focused on the volunteerism sector. Walpin was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2007 and has served well, honorably, and effectively. Too effectively. His removal came a week after he "questioned the eligibility of the largest and most expensive AmeriCorps program, and while the IG was contesting the 'propriety' of a settlement made with a mayor for alleged misuse of AmeriCorps funds," according to Youth Today.

The first taxpayer-subsidized program is the Teaching Fellows Program, run by the Research Foundation of the City University of New York. Walpin's audit (which can be found online at www.cncsig.gov/AuditReports.html) uncovered a multitude of grant violations, including criminal background check lapses and "pervasive problems of eligibility, timekeeping, and documentation."

Walpin office questioned duplicative educational awards of more than $16 million and costs worth nearly $775,000. CUNY refused to return excess funds that it had drawn down, failed to revise procedures to prevent such grant abuse, and refused to provide proof documenting that its AmeriCorps participants actually existed. Walpin advised AmeriCorps' parent organization, the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), to cut off any new funding and reexamine past government funding totaling upwards of $75 million.

Take the time to read it all.

Related:
No-look media in Obama U.S. attorney firings
W.H.: Fired IG 'confused, disoriented'
Obama admin alleges senility in firing of IG

Posted by Abdul at June 17, 2009 6:28 AM

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