One reason national security whistleblowers often do not go to their agency Inspector Generals is because they fear that the IGs are not independent enough from the agency they are meant to oversee. This, however, isn't just a fear, it's reality. National security-related IGs are less independent because the head of the agency can easily stop an investigation or audit. As the Congressional Research Service report "Statutory Offices of Inspector General: Establishment and Evolution" (pdf) states:
Under the IG Act, as amended, the heads of only five agencies—the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, and Treasury, plus the U.S. Postal Service—may prevent the IG from initiating, carrying out, or completing an audit or investigation, or issuing a subpoena, in order to preserve national security interests or to protect on-going criminal investigations, among other specified reasons. When exercising this power, the department head must transmit an explanatory statement for such action to the House Government Reform Committee, the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, and other appropriate congressional committees and subcommittees within 30 days. Under the CIA IG Act, the Director of Central Intelligence may similarly prohibit the CIA IG from conducting investigations, audits, or inspections and, when doing so, must notify the House and Senate Intelligence Committees of the reasons for such action within 7 days. [all emphasis POGO's]
Brabara Striesand, If you withdrew your funding upon my blog within this blog page, I suggest you may want to reconsider as this is an excellent and intelligent open source for communication. If you withdrew your funding as a matter of conscience and decide to let us know why, please do so.
Posted by: | Feb 17, 2007 at 07:45 PM
Blah! Blah! OLD NEWS. Continued No Empeachment talks as factual allegations of Corruption, Bribery, Torture (and resulting in death=Executice high crime of murder) continue within the Executive, Congressional and Judicial Branches of our US Government and in direct violation of our US Constitution and Laws. The same people that are running our US Government today are the very same people that where alleged and/or convicted in the Nixon and Regan (Watergate (murder), Iran Contra (Assinations) etc.) and numerous other High Crimes (and presidentially pardoned). Also, some of these forementioned crimes have not been prosecuted to this day.
Posted by: Axel | Mar 24, 2006 at 02:19 PM
Has anyone read these posts?
Posted by: Axel | Mar 01, 2006 at 04:41 PM
Has Dina and/or Beth Daley read these poets?
Posted by: | Mar 01, 2006 at 04:39 PM
Has anyone read these posts?
Posted by: Axel | Mar 01, 2006 at 04:38 PM
even though most likely and overwhemingly true, should read alleged deserter and should most likely include other Executive Cabinet members.
Posted by: | Mar 01, 2006 at 04:31 PM
Why are Americans being tortured excecuted in our prisons and mental health institutions and Awol deserters like George Bush and Executive Leaders that allow torture and murder are rewarded by our Global companies and lawyers and National Whistleblower Center and POGO (Barbra Striesand, Rockefeller etc) supporters with their large and overwhelming money contributions, support, influence and power?
Posted by: | Mar 01, 2006 at 04:24 PM
Should read OF THE WAR IN VIETNAM
Posted by: | Mar 01, 2006 at 04:17 PM
Why does the nion NOT IN OUR NAME signers support soldiers who refuse to fight in war such as george bush apparently did by going awol in time if a war in Vietnam? Please clarify.
Posted by: | Mar 01, 2006 at 04:15 PM
Where you at the olympics in 1936 and cheering with the Kennedys, Regans, Bushes?
Posted by: | Mar 01, 2006 at 04:10 PM
IG reports directly to the commander of that organization.
Posted by: Daniel | Feb 18, 2006 at 08:42 PM