As the Obama administration faces questions about the president's firing of the Corporation for National and Community Service Inspector General last week, and about the Treasury Department challenging the independence of the Special Inspector General dedicated to federal bailout dollars for the financial bailout money, a third inspector general controversy has emerged.
This week Judith Gwynn, the Inspector General for the International Trade Commission, was told that her contract would not be renewed.
The news was delivered to Gwynn within three hours of Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, sending the chair of the ITC a letter asking about a March 5 incident when, according to Gwynn's April 2009 Semiannual Report to Congress, "in the course of conducting an investigation regarding contractor activities, certain procurement files were removed forcibly from the possession of the Inspector General by a Commission employee.”
Grassley was outraged to learn that the ITC environment was one where the Inspector General could be treated so disdainfully.
"I was disappointed to learn that, according to the report, despite being notified of this situation the ITC failed to ensure that the files were immediately returned intact and unaltered," Grassley wrote to ITC Chair Shara L. Aranoff, according to a copy of the letter obtained by ABC News. "The ability of Inspectors General to secure agency records subject to audit or investigation is essential to ensure the integrity and reliability of their work on behalf of Congress and the American People." - ABC News Story
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