The intended outcome here is two-fold.
* #1 Any Inspector General will now have to ask a white house appointed cabinet head for approval to access investigative material; obviously this gives an automatic heads’ up to the White House.
*#2 The investigative material is now subject to being hidden from the investigators; obviously this allows unlawful conduct to remain hidden.
WASHINGTON DC – The Obama administration formally announced that inspectors general will have to get permission from their agency heads to gain access to grand jury, wiretap and fair credit information — an action that severely limits the watchdogs’ oversight capabilities, independence and power to uncover fraud.
An opinion, issued by the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel, says the Inspector General Act of 1978 — which was written by Congress to create the government watchdogs in order to help maintain integrity within their agencies — does not have the authority to override nondisclosure provisions in other laws, most notably in regard to grand jury, wiretap or fair credit information.
“In reaching these conclusions, our Office’s role has not been to decide what access [inspectors general] should receive as a matter of policy. Rather, we have endeavored to determine as a matter of law, using established tools of statutory construction, how best to reconcile the strong privacy protections … with the interest in access reflected in … the IG Act,” states the legal counsel’s opinion, which was dated Monday and released Thursday.
“I strongly disagree with the OLC opinion,” Michael Horowitz, the Justice Department’s inspector general, said in a statement. “Congress meant what it said when it authorized Inspectors General to independently access ‘all’ documents necessary to conduct effective oversight. Without such access, our Office’s ability to conduct its work will be significantly impaired, and it will be more difficult for us to detect and deter waste, fraud, and abuse, and to protect taxpayer dollars.” (read more)
Edited/Update: Not only Obama, but his minions should be held accountable for their treasonous activity.
Besides, they love him there; I wouldn't put it past Obammy to move down there after he leaves office, and then run for President of Kenya.
Kenya's already got enough troubles...ROFL!
His constant push for gay rights causes me to question whether he may be gay himself. Or at least bicycle.....
Whatever. He cannot be gone soon enough.
Sundowner...time to bring up Pat's son's favorite thread:
Scarred my psyche somewhat!
Obama Drunk
He sure took to choom; maybe we could get the Moonbat Messiah to take more of an interest in alcohol. A drunk would do less damage. Also, his speeches would be less insufferably boring:
Anony Mouse's Link
http://launch.newsinc.com/embed.html?type=VideoPlayer/Single&widgetId=1&trackingGroup=69016&siteSection=washexam590_ent_mus_sty&videoId=29454635
Impeach? Investigate? Don't make me laugh. Seriously, it gives me wrinkles.
I'm sure that GJ is proud of his vote now that we have become a nation of criminals.
Obama strikes again….. on behalf of savages, of course.
White House mulling intervention in massive judgment against Palestinians in terror case
The Obama administration has signaled it may intervene next week in a civil lawsuit in which 11 American families won a potential billion-dollar judgment from the Palestinian leadership over a series of bombings and shootings that killed or wounded dozens of U.S. citizens, a move that critics say would find the government siding with terrorists over its own citizens.
The families won a $218.5 million judgment in February after a seven-week trial in Manhattan Federal Court in which a jury found the Palestine Liberation Organization and Palestinian Authority were responsible for a string of attacks from 2001 to 2004 that killed 33 and injured hundreds. A 1992 law that requires damages in such cases to be tripled, as well as interest on the award, would push it to as much as $1.1 billion. The judgment, which the Palestinians are appealing, would equal nearly a third of the Palestinian Authority’s annual operating budget.
Late last month, the Department of Justice, which had previously not been involved in the 11-year-old case, informed the court it was considering filing a “statement of interest” in the case by Aug. 10, but officials would not elaborate. A source said the Department of Justice was working with the State Department on the matter.
“As the filing states, the United States is considering whether to submit a Statement of Interest in the [Sokolow v. Palestine Liberation Organization] matter,” a DOJ spokeswoman told FoxNews.com. “Any filing would be made on behalf of the United States, not on behalf of any other party.”
“An administration which claims to be fighting terror is planning to weigh in favor of the terrorists.”
– Kent Yalowitz, atttorney for families who sued Palestinian leadership
The Palestinian leadership would not have to pay the award unless it is upheld on appeal, but U.S. District Judge George Daniels said he may require the Palestinians to post bond while the case works its way through the process to show “some meaningful demonstration that the defendant is ready and willing to pay the judgment.”
The plaintiffs included the estates of four U.S. citizens who were killed and several dozen Americans who were physically or psychologically injured in the attacks as well as their families. Kent Yalowitz, the families’ attorney, has requested that the Palestinian leadership be required to place $30 million per month in escrow while the case is appealed. Yalowitz suspects the U.S. government is considering intervening to help the cash-strapped Palestinian leadership avoid the bond.
“An administration which claims to be fighting terror is planning to weigh in favor of the terrorists,” Yalowitz told FoxNews.com. “If our government actually came in favor of convicted terrorists, it would be a really sorry statement about the way our government treats terror.”
1st in line is Biden.
2nd in line is Boehner.
Ugh.
