Gerald Walpin, Inspector General Fired By Obama, Files Lawsuit To Be Reinstated

ABC News:

Gerald Walpin, the former Inspector General for the Corporation for National and Community Service whom President Obama took the unusual step of firing last month, filed a lawsuit against the CNCS on Friday in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

Read the whole story: ABC News

Comments

[harriettubman]

Who really believes in the IG position any way? I had a neighbor whose ex use to take him back and forth to court on frivolous charges. He put up with that for years for the sake of his kids. When he finally got tired of it and brought out her fake academy appointment and went to the IG they didn't want to touch it! So much for federal investigation.

[bobsee]

you are right about most, however this guy appears to have been fired for being one of the few to do his job and actually investigate fat cats.

[bluerednot]

this guy was only interested in playing politics

[Knowitall]

No, what the guy did was question a ruling or settlement by the "company" he works for (the U.S. Government), publically and after the fact just because he didn't like it. No employee in his right mind does that, and expects to keep his job.

[Indedave]

To all the tr0llios complaining about Walpin being slandered: "[I] n 2005 Walpin introduced Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney at an event in Washington, DC, as the governor of a state run by the "modern-day KKK ... the Kennedy-Kerry Klan."

[solopico]

Has absolutely nothing to do with the illegal firing of a man for his proper investigation of Obama's friend and campaign contributor Kevin Johnson, and the misuse of Americorps funds by Johnson.

[bluerednot]

Kevin Johnson may - or may not have have done wrong - but even the GW Bush appointed US Attorney found Walpin's behavior in the case to be unconscionable - Walpin never did an audit - violated numerous ethics rules, improperly placed Johnson on the "cannot receive federal funds" list before a completed investigation - attempted to influence the outcome of an election by making pronouncements in the press related to a pending investigation. ---- the fact is - Walpin is simply incapable of performing impartial investigation - can't be impartial - and can't investigate.

[willynel]

No, but he made these "findings" (which the U.S. District Attorney [appointed by the Bush Administration in 2004] said were baseless) publicly known right before Mayor Johnson's election. He went out of his way to try to insinuate himself into an election which he had nothing to do with.

He is yet another in the long list of Republican operatives who, if they can't win fair, they try to win at all costs.

For an immediate counterpoint, if the charges were not baseless, why didn't the US attorney file charges. No charges were filed. No crime was committed.

[dennisrs]

Willynel Is this factual : In April 2008 the Corporation asked Mr. Walpin to investigate reports of irregularities at St. HOPE, a California nonprofit run by former NBA star and Obama supporter Kevin Johnson. St. HOPE had received an $850,000 AmeriCorps grant, which was supposed to go for three purposes: tutoring for Sacramento-area students; the redevelopment of several buildings; and theater and art programs.
Mr. Walpin's investigators discovered that the money had been used instead to pad staff salaries, meddle politically in a school-board election, and have AmeriCorps members perform personal services for Mr. Johnson, including washing his car.

[dennisrs]

good joke actually.

[Freenation]

how original...

[lily]

This guy was SLANDERED in addition to being fired. If he had just been FIRED, it wouldn't look so suspicious...but it looks to me like they KNEW they didn't have a case against him so they made one up by claiming he was dazed, confused, disoriented, etc....which also makes Obama look like he fired somebody who needed medical help.

Either way, this case doesn't pass the smell test...like many of Obama's actions.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

Or someone who was drunk.

But there were witnesses and since he has sued, it will all come out.

I feel sorry for him. Any dignity he had will be shredded.

[bobsee]

Sounds like the change we can believe in, or just more of the same. "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss".

[instagladiator]

10-4. I guess you can thank your last POTUS for setting all of the new precedences that your current POTUS can enjoy with relative ease.

[clearwaterclearmind]

actually, obama broke a law that he himself signed into being. it appears this was because the IG was investigating one of his pals. we can't just say everything obama does is okay simply for the fact that it was he who did it. dems on here who fling around insults every time the POTUS breaks a promise or a law don't seem to realize the damage they do to their party in the form of making us appear as blind sheep, ready to hurl insults and protect any behavior so long as it's a dem that's involved. it doesn't take many smarts to see through this behavior and quickly develop contempt.

hold ALL government accountable, and don't blindly follow ANY politician.

[platanoman]

sure whatever foxnew says

[clearwaterclearmind]

case in point.

[solopico]

Maybe you'll believe your own leftist source -

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/12/gerald-walpin-obama-remov_n_214715.html

[clearwaterclearmind]

actually you didn't hurl an insult, so maybe not so much. it does appear that you are trying negate the facts by asserting that they were created by fox news as spin. i can assure that i didn't get those facts from fox news.

i watch all the networks, and know who owns them and the directions they try to spin things for their masters.

because i am not a blind sheep.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

Your facts are wrong. Obama did what was necessary under the law and some Congress folks wanted more and more was provided. They were satisfied that the 30 day notice and explanation were provided.

I feel sorry for this guy. All his incompetence will be shown. He will be left with no dignity or pride.

[clearwaterclearmind]

oh, NOW you can respond to my posts without calling me names.

while at the same time doing nothing to refute my point.

[dennisrs]

we are the ones--- you lie!

[Knowitall]

Did you actually read the article? You are completely ignoring what this Inspector General did. This has very little to do with what Pres Obama or anybody else did. This IG sealed his fate when he decided to question his employer. Case closed.

[clearwaterclearmind]

yes, i read the article. it was junk, just like abc. huffpo's article is much better.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/12/gerald-walpin-obama-remov_n_214715.html

i am not ignoring what walpin "did" (which was investigate an obama contributor who if you look at very closely at all, is breaking laws and spending tax and program money on himself and his campaign.). i am also not ignoring that the POTUS broke a law he sponsored and signed to protect his corrupt friend. that is NOT what i voted for.

[dennisrs]

Again knowitall who's is the employer that he is questioning?

[JiminNC]

fish heads

[orfew]

eat them up...yum

[Read Books]

Nice work whitewashing the Walpin story, Jack Tapper!

A more detailed account of Walpin's firing is below. It fills in missing details including the firing of Walpin after business hours over the telephone (an inappropriate way to fire anyone). At best, Obama and his administration's actions look fishy. At worst, they look like a bunch of Chicago thugs!

The inside story of the AmeriCorps firing:
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Gerald-Walpin-speaks-the-inside-story-of-the-AmeriCorps-firing-48030697.html

[We-Are-The-Ones]

Many a folk are fired over the phone. There is no appropriate way to be fired when you are on the wrong end of it.

[dennisrs]

Unless they are protected by law-- wato

[chameleon59]

Walpin says he was "fired over the phone". He got a phone call offering him a chance to resign before he was fired and was told that if he didn't step down, the WH would go ahead with firing him. He refused, and the White House gave Congress the required 30 day notice the following day. It would be nice if people actually understood what they read.

[Knowitall]

If he hadn't gotten the offer to resign, he would have said the letter came out of the clear blue sky, without even the courtesy, usually offered, of allowing him to resign and save face.

You cannot win with these conservatives. They will WHINE no matter how it's done.

[dennisrs]

Mr. Walpin brought his concerns to the Corporation's board, but some board members were angry over a separate Walpin investigation into the wrongful disbursement of $80 million to the City University of New York. Concerned about the St. HOPE mess, Mr. Walpin wrote a 29-page report, signed by two other senior members of his office, and submitted it in April to Congress. Last Wednesday, he got a phone call from a White House lawyer telling him to resign within an hour or be fired.

[bbbbmer]

If you don't live in Sacramento, you probably aren't getting the full story on this issue. Current Mayor Kevin Johnson, former basketballer and later wannabe schoolmarm, opened a charter school in an underperforming public high school that had been left to decay by the school district, with the promise of educating neighborhood children, and was granted millions to do so by government and private philanthropy, including the federal Americorps program, which has strict spending guidelines which Johnson misused for such things as chauferring himself, expansion of Johnson's program and political ambitions, and funding other employees of his school/program who were not a part of the grant contracts, among other violations. Walpin discovered this after a lengthy and thorough investigation, and barred Johnson and his organizations from further federal funding, and referred the matter for a criminal investigation. The investigation was settled, in large part because Johnson's ascendancy to the Mayor's office jeopardized Sacramento's participation in federal recovery dollars while he was barred from federal contracting, but on the same day it was settled the organization's replacement Executive Director resigned via letter which alleged obstruction in the investigation and possible evidence tampering, which is now being investigated by the FBI. Johnson is a crook on all fronts, who happens to have a friend in this President, who appears to either be illinformed about these facts, or doing a mere political favor for a friend -- either way this case is a disgrace, both to Sacramento, and to Obama.

[platanoman]

Obama is going to save little old Johnson when he put his other friends under bus. Don't buy it .

[clearwaterclearmind]

what friends? did they contribute substantially to O's campaign?

[ufopp]

Doesn't seem any worse than Halliburton influence peddling, the only difference being this has been investigated.

[solopico]

And so you live by the "two wrongs make a right, as long as the 2nd is done by my political party" standard?

[Knowitall]

That is YOUR statement of the FACTS. Which doesn't make them anymore creditable just because you live in Sacramento.

Having said that, everything you've said is totally irrelevant. IG's don't question rulings by their superiors, PERIOD. Regardless of the "facts" of the case. They move on. They do not get into a public dispute with their bosses. When they do that--they get fired. PERIOD.

[dennisrs]

Know it all --Again you are wrong we the IG sees laws broken and corruption being ignored it his duty to bring it out in the open, hence his letter to congress. He not quite a whistle blower but does have a duty to perform.

[jazzybo]

How do you tell these clowns they lost?

[orfew]

The telling is easy ...its the listening that is problematic

[clearwaterclearmind]

keep up that attitude, and you'l soon discover the meaning of the term "narrow margin". if our party offers no change, things will swing to the right.

[dennisrs]

Ijazzybo-- if you mean lost the elections that BHO won the Presidency OK But that doesn't mean we lost the country and BHO is now the ruler.
He and his actions can still be questioned and you had better hope that right continues too.

[brandnewstuff]

"That's Rich"

[thenextquagmire]

How come the older people are nowadays THE HARDER IT IS FOR THEM TO GET OFF THE STAGE!!!

[fcsakes]

You know what - cram it! You don't own the stage beppo.

[Knowitall]

Neither do you. Are you leaving now?

[Wiseronenow]

Why is Jerry Springer's picture here? Heh.

[whatthel]

I think you're right. :-)

[edwarvir]

Why would you want to work where they don't
want you. Go find another playpen.

[Meggie]

So, Congress who wrote the law says he was fired within their guidelines, and this guy is still suing? And he wants US to pay his bills?
How about this - you didn't do the job you were told to do by your boss. The people who set the guidelines investigated your firing and found that you were fired within their established guidelines.
So, why don't YOU promise to pay US for all expenses incurred by US if you lose?

[Ergon]

"Walpin's lawsuit asserts that "no investigation was made into the facts alleged as the basis for Mr. Walpin's termination" and the White House made no attempt to interview him or any of his colleagues in his office"

Let the courts decide.

[ranchero42]

Not gonna happen. Ask anybody. Not gonna get that far, he's wasting his time and OUR money.