Byron York at the Washington Examiner has posted an update on the firing of Gerald Walpin.  Mr. Walpin was a U. S. Inspector General who was investigating AmeriCorps.  President Obama has ordered Mr. Walpin removed from his job in 30 days.  The article reports:

“The questions relate to a letter Eisen sent to some senators Tuesday night attributing Walpin’s dismissal, in significant part, to Walpin’s behavior at a May 20, 2009 board meeting of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the organization that oversees AmeriCorps.  Eisen wrote that at the meeting, “Mr. Walpin was confused, disoriented, unable to answer questions and exhibited other behavior that led the board to question his capacity to serve.” After the meeting, Eisen wrote, Walpin lost the confidence of the Corporation Board.  The White House conducted a review of the matter, and Walpin was fired.  (For a detailed account of Walpin’s reaction to the White House charges, see here.)”

There seem to be doubts about the validity of those charges.  Iowa Republican Senator Charles Grassley has stated that Norman Eisen, the White House Special Counsel to the President for Ethics and Government Reform, has refused to answer a number of questions regarding the firing of Mr. Walpin.  Senator Grassley has sent a letter to White House counsel Gregory Craig stating that questions would be submitted in writing to Mr. Eisen and that Senator Grassley expects a written reply to those questions by June 24.    Please follow the link in the opening paragraph to see those questions.

Inspector Generals are supposed to be independent of politics.  They cannot be fired by the President without cause.  It looks to me as if the lesson the Obama administration is trying to teach is “Do not cross this President”.  We have put Chicago politics in the White House.  I truly hope that Mr. Walpin gets a fair hearing on this matter.