What'll It Take ...

To Get Folks Riled UP?

Via Ace:

What's behind Obama's sudden attempt to fire the AmeriCorps inspector general? By: Byron York, The Washington Examiner

... AmeriCorps inspector general, Gerald Walpin, received a call from the White House counsel's office telling him that he had one hour to either resign or be fired. The White House did not cite a reason. [...] After last night's call, Walpin got in touch with Congress, and it appears the White House has backed off, at least for now.

[...]

More information now, from the Associated Press. The White House is going ahead with firing Walpin. The firing apparently stems from Walpin's investigation of a non-profit group, St. HOPE Academy, run by Kevin Johnson, the former NBA star who is now mayor of Sacramento, California (and a big Obama supporter). "[Walpin] found that Johnson, a former all-star point guard for the Phoenix Suns, had used AmeriCorps grants to pay volunteers to engage in school-board political activities, run personal errands for Johnson and even wash his car," the AP reports. In April, the U.S. attorney declined to file any criminal charges in the matter and criticized Walpin's investigation. But at the same time Johnson and St. HOPE agreed to repay about half of the $850,000 it had received from AmeriCorps.

Bottom line: The AmeriCorps IG accuses prominent Obama supporter of misusing AmeriCorps grant money. Prominent Obama supporter has to pay back more than $400,000 of that grant money. Obama fires AmeriCorps IG.

Be sure to click on the link to more information above. The AP cleaned up the copy and now it's IG Walpin who's the culprit,

The U.S. attorney's office reached a settlement in the matter. [Acting U.S. Attorney Lawrence] Brown cited press accounts that said Johnson and the nonprofit would repay half of nearly $850,000 in grants it received.

Kevin Hiestand, chairman of the board of St. HOPE Academy, said in a statement it was "about time" Walpin was removed. "Mr. Walpin's allegations were meritless and clearly motivated by matters beyond an honest assessment of our program."

So true, Kevin, had there been any merit to Walpin's charges, ST HOPE would have had to repay all the $850,000 in grants it had received. BTW - the former junior senator from Illinois was one of the co-sponsors of the IG bill.