GPO Lets Inspector General Go: Stamping out truth and dissent within govt.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A43734-2004Aug5?language=printer

 

washingtonpost.com

 

GPO Lets Inspector General Go

 

Auditor Says Public Printer Didn't Like 'Aggressive'

Probes

 

By Christopher Lee

Washington Post Staff Writer

Friday, August 6, 2004; Page A17

 

The inspector general at the Government Printing

Office thinks the latest managerial decision at the

agency was a bad one -- but he won't be around to

critique it.

 

Marc A. Nichols, 34, the IG since March 2003, was

asked to resign this week by Public Printer Bruce R.

James in a move that Nichols said was prompted by his

" aggressive " investigations of possible waste, fraud

and abuse.

 

Nichols, who was paid $144,000 a year, said James

asked for -- and received -- his resignation Monday

after informing him he wanted to " go in a different

direction. " James made it clear that the IG at the

legislative branch agency serves at the pleasure of

the agency head, unlike IGs at many executive branch

departments who are nominated by and can be dismissed

by the president, Nichols said.

 

" If you are going to tell IGs that they have

independence, then you've got to give independence in

full, " Nichols said in an interview. " There was a

struggle going on here at this agency about how much

independence the IG should have and needs to have. And

they decided that I was trying to exercise too much

independence. "

 

Nichols said James was unhappy with an IG

investigation that found that a GPO contractor lacked

proper documentation and was not entitled to " a

significant payment " it had received. A separate

inquiry into the propriety of a relationship between

the agency and the consulting arm of its external

auditor also was ruffling feathers, Nichols said.

 

James, who must inform Congress of the move, declined

to discuss the reasons he asked the man he hired last

year to step down. He said his decision was not

related to any investigations.

 

James noted that he has asked Jackie Goff, whom

Nichols named as his deputy a year ago, to serve as

acting IG and carry on with all existing probes.

 

" I think the independence of the inspector general is

quite important, and you certainly want someone who is

aggressive in that role, " James said. " . . . I can

tell you categorically that this had nothing to do

with an investigation or an audit. "

 

Under a 1978 federal law, inspectors general are

watchdogs appointed without regard to political

affiliation. Their mission is to conduct independent,

objective audits to detect and deter waste, fraud and

abuse and promote efficiency in government. There are

57 IGs in federal agencies -- 29 who are appointed by

the president and require Senate confirmation, and 28

who are selected by their agency heads.

 

Many IGs say the law should be changed to protect them

from reprisals and to strengthen their independence.

Some support a bill by Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) that

would provide IGs with fixed seven-year terms. IGs

could be removed early only if they became permanently

disabled, were convicted of a felony, were inefficient

or for malfeasance or neglect of duty.

 

Cooper, who is co-sponsoring the bill with Rep.

Christopher Shays (R-Conn.), has said it would help

re-energize the role of IGs in promoting government

accountability.

 

The legislation, introduced in November, is pending

before the House Government Reform Committee, and a

subcommittee held a hearing on it last month. Gaston

L. Gianni Jr., the inspector general at the Federal

Deposit Insurance Corp., testified that the IG

community supports the thrust of Cooper's bill.

 

" We believe that removal for cause criteria would

further Congress' intent to provide IGs with the

independence needed to carry out our responsibilities

and would better insulate IGs from undue influence, "

Gianni said in written testimony. He serves as vice

chairman of the President's Council on Integrity and

Efficiency, an umbrella group for presidentially

appointed IGs.

 

Nichols, who has left the GPO but will be paid his

salary for two more months, has worked as a lawyer in

private practice, a securities banker and an aide to

then-Rep. Richard Zimmer (R-N.J.). He said he does not

know what he will do next but points to his ouster at

GPO as " precisely the reason why the changes in the

legislation need to be made. "