Official in State Dept. Blocked Inquiries, Says Congressman
By BRIAN KNOWLTON
New York Times
WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 — A top House Democrat has issued an unusually strongly worded letter alleging that the State Department inspector general has interfered repeatedly with investigations into fraud and abuse in Iraq and Afghanistan, and that he had done so “to protect the State Department and the White House from political embarrassment.”
The letter, from Representative Henry Waxman of California, described allegations against the inspector general, Howard Krongard, that Mr. Waxman said covered all major divisions of the inspector general’s office investigations, audits and inspections. It said the assertions came from several current and former employees of that office, who buttressed their charges with e-mail messages.
The letter said that the staff complaints followed Mr. Krongard’s testimony on July 26 to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which Mr. Waxman heads. Some of the complainants had sought “whistleblower” status, which protects government employees who report malfeasance from being punished for doing so. Other allegations came from two former senior officials, the committee said.
The assertions were serious and far-reaching, and included assertions that Mr. Krongard had effectively become a political defender of the administration rather than, as his job is meant to be, a studiedly neutral overseer of its spending and practices.
“One consistent element in these allegations is that you believe your foremost mission is to support the Bush administration, especially with respect to Iraq and Afghanistan, rather than act as an independent and objective check on waste, fraud and abuse on behalf of U.S. taxpayers,” Mr. Waxman wrote in the letter. Citing information form officials on Mr. Krongard’s staff, he wrote, “Your strong affinity with State Department leadership and your partisan political ties have led you to halt investigations, censor reports and refuse to cooperate with law enforcement agencies.”
(Continued here.)
New York Times
WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 — A top House Democrat has issued an unusually strongly worded letter alleging that the State Department inspector general has interfered repeatedly with investigations into fraud and abuse in Iraq and Afghanistan, and that he had done so “to protect the State Department and the White House from political embarrassment.”
The letter, from Representative Henry Waxman of California, described allegations against the inspector general, Howard Krongard, that Mr. Waxman said covered all major divisions of the inspector general’s office investigations, audits and inspections. It said the assertions came from several current and former employees of that office, who buttressed their charges with e-mail messages.
The letter said that the staff complaints followed Mr. Krongard’s testimony on July 26 to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which Mr. Waxman heads. Some of the complainants had sought “whistleblower” status, which protects government employees who report malfeasance from being punished for doing so. Other allegations came from two former senior officials, the committee said.
The assertions were serious and far-reaching, and included assertions that Mr. Krongard had effectively become a political defender of the administration rather than, as his job is meant to be, a studiedly neutral overseer of its spending and practices.
“One consistent element in these allegations is that you believe your foremost mission is to support the Bush administration, especially with respect to Iraq and Afghanistan, rather than act as an independent and objective check on waste, fraud and abuse on behalf of U.S. taxpayers,” Mr. Waxman wrote in the letter. Citing information form officials on Mr. Krongard’s staff, he wrote, “Your strong affinity with State Department leadership and your partisan political ties have led you to halt investigations, censor reports and refuse to cooperate with law enforcement agencies.”
(Continued here.)
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