Thursday, May 06, 2010
More than 70 federal watchdog positions, including inspectors general for cabinet-level departments, remain vacant or without permanent appointees. In some cases the posts have gone without an appointment for more than two years.
For example, the IG job for the State Department has been awaiting a permanent placement since early 2008. The CIA has gone without an inspector general since March of last year.
“Inspectors general play an important role in protecting taxpayer dollars from waste, fraud and abuse. I am troubled by even a single prolonged vacancy,” Representative Ed Towns (D-NY), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, told The Center for Public Integrity.
In addition to vacant IG posts, other watchdog positions in need of appointees include the head of the Office of Special Counsel, which protects federal whistleblowers, and the comptroller general of the Government Accountability Office.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
Where Are the Watchdogs? (by John Solomon, Center for Public Integrity)
List of Vacant Watchdog Positions (Center for Public Integrity) (Excel)
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