 “IGs are our eyes and ears within the executive branch. But IGs cannot do their
job without timely and independent access to all agency records,” warned Sen.
Charles Grassley, R-Iowa.
“Since 2010, a handful of agencies, led by the FBI, has refused to comply with
this legal obligation,” Grassley charged.
The Department of Justice claimed its inspector general could not access certain
records until department leaders granted permission.
“Requiring prior approval undermines inspector general independence. That is bad
enough, but it also causes wasteful delays,” Grassley said.
The Senate Judiciary Committee chairman said IGs for the Environmental
Protection Agency, the Department of Commerce and the Peace Corps have
encountered similar stonewalling.
In July, Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel issued a memo asserting that Congress
did not really mean “all records” when lawmakers first authorized IGs in 1978.
In response, Grassley and 13 other senators introduced the Inspector General
Empowerment Act to affirm that Congress intended IGs to access all agency
records. An escape clause, however, allows “other laws” to shield certain
information.
Even that mild legislation was too much for Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid.
The Nevada Democrat used Senate privilege to bottle up the bill with an
anonymous “member hold.”
Cause of Action photo
Cause of Action photo
ENOUGH POWER: Cause of Action executive director Dan Epstein says Congress needs
to exert its constitutional authority.
Dan Epstein, executive director of the government watchdog group Cause of
Action, said Congress has only itself to blame for a lack of transparency and
accountability.
“The solution is for Congress to get off its ass,” Epstein told Watchdog.org in
an interview.
Epstein noted that IGs “issue more subpoenas than anyone, including DOJ
attorneys.” But investigations rarely rise to the level of agency heads.
“Former IRS Inspector General Russell George conducted an audit of the agency,
not an investigation,” Epstein pointed out.
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 Many IG subpoenas target individuals in the private sector — not
the government officials IGs are tasked to oversee.
“The BofA-Countrywide settlement originated with the IG at the
Department of Housing and Urban Development,” Epstein said by way of
example.
RELATED: EPA Inspector General gets in trouble with itself
Far from being toothless, IGs — who are supposed to be the
in-house watchdog of government — can issue subpoenas without a
warrant or court approval.
Appointed by the president and confirmed by Congress, IGs are
inherently political tools that work within the departments they
ostensibly investigate. “The idea of giving them more power should
be quickly dismissed,” Epstein said.
Instead, he recommends that Congress exercise its constitutional
authority to serve subpoenas and protect the public purse.
“Where was the congressional subpoena for Hillary Clinton’s email
server? Where was the deposition? There weren’t any,” Epstein said.
Through the IGs, “Congress has delegated oversight to the executive
branch itself,” he concluded.
With a Democrat in the White House, Republicans say IGs aren’t doing
enough. For now, Epstein observes, “Democrats want IGs to be lambs.”
Or non-existent.
“The Department of Veteran Affairs has needed an inspector general
for 582 days. Yet the president has not made an appointment,” Sen.
John Cornyn said during a Judiciary Committee hearing Aug. 5.
“If the Department of Interior, which has gone without an IG since
2011, is any indicator, it will be another 1,714 days before
President Obama gets around to making an appointment. That’s three
times longer than he’s been in office,” the Texas Republican said.
Kenric Ward writes for the Texas Bureau of Watchdog.org. Contact him
at kward@watchdog.org. @Kenricward
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