Congress, Media, Politics

Obama Administration Moves To Sharply Curtail Authority Of Government Watchdogs

President_Barack_Obama600px-US-DeptOfJustice-Seal.svg DOJThe Obama Administration has been accused by public interest groups of being one of the most hostile administration toward whistleblowers since the Nixon Administration. Not only whistleblowers but reporters have been subject to abusive investigations and crackdowns under President Obama. Now, that record has taken an even more dangerous turn. The Justice Department is facing bipartisan criticism after it moved to restrict access of inspectors general to documents needed to ferret out corrupt and abusive practices. The Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) has issued a controversial 68-page memo that says that the department’s inspector general would be required to get permission from the agencies it is investigating to obtain wire taps, grand jury testimonies, and credit information.

For the record, I have been a long critic of the OLC due to what I have viewed as a significant decline in both the neutrality and quality of work in that office. The office has been wrong on a number of important constitutional questions, including the unconstitutional use of recess appointments by the President. In my view, these opinions were a departure from the tradition of the OLC in offering detached and apolitical analysis.

DOJ Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz has correctly noted that federal law gives his office independent authority and that having to coordinate documents requests from the very agency under investigation is counterintuitive: “I strongly disagree with the OLC opinion. Congress meant what it said when it authorized Inspectors General to independently access ‘all’ documents necessary to conduct effective oversight. … Without such access, our office’s ability to conduct its work will be significantly impaired.”

He is joined in this view by key members of Congress from both parties, including Senators Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ron Johnson, R-Wis., as well as Reps. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., and John Conyers, D-Mich. As Senator Grassley correctly noted “If the Inspector General deems a document necessary to do his job, then the agency should turn it over immediately.”

The requirement that IGs get permission and access from the subject agency is inimical to the very function of their office and the effectiveness of these offices. When combined with the controversial measures taken against whistleblowers by the Obama Administration, the new policy would allow an Administration far greater power in controlling investigations of its authority and would guarantee notice of potential controversies or scandals within its ranks.

207 thoughts on “Obama Administration Moves To Sharply Curtail Authority Of Government Watchdogs”

  1. Haha you said Noble savages, Mr. Schulte, and I did not lie.

    If you don’t understand basic history and have a distorted view like you appear to grasp onto in Native American lands teaching civics will inevitably be rather difficult. You maintain the system and status quo being the best decision. Nah… not a lie, just different beliefs.

    Read more bertrand russell and less western propaganda. please…

    1. chipkellyshouldgoogleleibniz – first you did lie. second bertrand russell never wrote a book or pamphlet on American history other than the Vietnam War. I don’t read socialists, even moderates.

      1. Paul C. Schulte:

        So if you don’t “read left or moderates” how can you understand the breadth of history required for a student to grasp a subject? That’s like a doctor not needing to understand the cardiovascular system if they plan to be a psychiatrist. Or its like legal counsel only reading specific sections of evidence in a big case.

        If you broaden your horizons it helps to understand what makes people tick and this can be a productive experience, not just for you, but in your ability to shape the views of others.

        I now understand your thinking and feel a bit sad that you have missed out on the thrill of discovering new concepts. I don’t think I have ever come across this before.

  2. Mr. Schulte,

    You asked me for evidence of Jefferson supporting indian removal and I gave it to you. I didn’t say that was discussed in Civics. So quick to the sword… if you had all the answers then you could just enlighten me rather than subjugate and name-call. Isn’t there a civility rule on here? What would the George Washington think of your manners and civility??

    1. chipkellyshouldgoogleleibniz –

      Mr. Schulte,

      It’s not a wonder people in this country can be so frightened and delusional with civics educators not even knowing that Thomas Jefferson was the first US President to suggest a formal Indian removal policy.

      Want to walk back that lie?

  3. Mr. Schulte,

    If you can’t understand basic history, I don’t think you can understand Civics.

    Did I hit a nerve? Idiot? Really?

    That’s not the educator spirit now Mr. Schulte.

    1. chipkellyshouldgoogleleibniz – I am retired. I can call a spade a spade now.

      1. Paul C Schulte:

        Yes: A spade is a spade but Freedom apparently suddenly means Freedmen when you are defending something that is indefensible.

  4. Mr. Schulte,

    History Museums across America literally broadcast quotes by him on the Native Americans and wanting to take their liberty. Not hard to find.

    1. chipkellyshouldgoogleleibniz – My high school was named after Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer. I have lived in Indian county my whole life. I do not believe in the concept of the ‘noble savage.’ Read Custer’s book. It will be a revelation.

  5. Mr. Schulte,

    It’s not a wonder people in this country can be so frightened and delusional with civics educators not even knowing that Thomas Jefferson was the first US President to suggest a formal Indian removal policy.

    “You know, my friend, the benevolent plan we were pursuing here for the happiness of the aboriginal inhabitants in our vicinities. We spared nothing to keep them at peace with one another. To teach them agriculture and the rudiments of the most necessary arts, and to encourage industry by establishing among them separate property. In this way they would have been enabled to subsist and multiply on a moderate scale of landed possession. They would have mixed their blood with ours, and been amalgamated and identified with us within no distant period of time. On the commencement of our present war, we pressed on them the observance of peace and neutrality, but the interested and unprincipled policy of England has defeated all our labors for the salvation of these unfortunate people. They have seduced the greater part of the tribes within our neighborhood, to take up the hatchet against us, and the cruel massacres they have committed on the women and children of our frontiers taken by surprise, will oblige us now to pursue them to extermination, or drive them to new seats beyond our reach.”

    That’s Jefferson himself. “Pursue them to extermination”

    This is basic stuff Mr. Schulte. I hate that propaganda is so effective.

    1. chipkellyshouldgoogleleibniz – you are an idiot if you think the 1st Indian Removal policy is discussed in Civics. Civics is how the various governments in the US work and how they relate to each other. And how the citizens relate to the governments. It is a 1 semester course.

  6. Aridog, I could actually agree with you here. He does look quite a bit more like Davis than Obama.

  7. Pickett said ..

    The freedom of the individual at the expense of the freedom other others seems to be a constant theme. And as long as you yourself are OK nobody else matters … I thought America was a melting pot. The place where migrants went when they couldn’t make it in the home country for whatever reason.

    With those statements you reveal how little you really understand about the USA. The first one in particular. The second one is funny, at best…like why did Brits move to their various colonies elsewhere? Couldn’t cut it at home, eh? You also reveal your condescension in that second remark. Sniff.

    I remain in contact with a couple RVN vets, successful in Vietnam in their time, who came here simply because to stay at “home” would have meant execution after 1975. Pretty good reason in my view. They have also succeeded here.

  8. Just to stir things up a bit: I think President Obama is a natural born citizen, and the child of Frank Marshall Davis and Stanley Ann in Hawaii. Barack Sr was the young student chump selected to take the fall as the daddy. Stanley Ann promptly moved with kidlet to Washington state. Barry’s book should have been titled “Dreams of Frank”

  10. “Ehud Barak and Benjamin Netanyahu were among the chief architects of 9/11”

    “The World will eventually retaliate against the Likudists in Israel (taking down Israel at the same time) for doing 9/11/01, other numerous staged Terror and false-flags all around the World and their genocidal Apartheid and massive land theft against the Palestinians.”

    http://www.veteranstoday.com/2015/01/18/judaics-must-publicly-reject-world-zionism

  11. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/29/us/politics/depositions-show-donald-trump-as-quick-to-exaggerate-and-insult.html?_r=0

    Here is your Mr.Wonderful Trump. Tells a nursing mother who is the legal council for the other side in “disgusting” for asking for an hour break to pump breast milk for her infant. Nice guy your Mr.Trump. This guy who admits to being a liar and a cheat under deposition, that’s who 24% of conservatives admire. What is wrong with you people?
    ***************************
    “When the lawyer, Elizabeth Beck, asked for a medical break, Mr. Trump and his lawyers objected, demanding that the deposition continue. Ms. Beck said it was urgent — she needed to pump breast milk for her 3-month-old daughter, and she took the pump out to make her point.

    But when Ms. Beck insisted on pausing for an hour to pump breast milk, Mr. Trump, in the words of her husband, had “a meltdown” during a break in the deposition. In a letter at the time, Mr. Beck said Mr. Trump had called his wife “uptight” as well as “disgusting.””

  13. All the U.S. Invasions are Wars of Aggression = War Crimes

    The Zionist Jew U.S. Government / U.S. Media and Israel are America’s Enemies
    They are guilty of Massive War Crimes, Mass Murder, Maiming, Treason, Torture, Forgery, Fraud, Thievery – Innumerable Crimes

    Many Members of Congress have been voting to fund U.S. and Israeli War Crimes
    They should be indicted as War Criminals

    Washington, DC = Nazi Berlin

    1. Patriot (@musicman27103):

      I just don’t get this stuff you are posting about Jews. How are Jewish Americans different to anyone else? They statistically should produce as many “good guys” and “bad guys” as the Irish, British, German, Italian and Arab and all the other ethnic groups that make up Americans.

      I thought America was a melting pot. The place where migrants went when they couldn’t make it in the home country for whatever reason. That was the reason why America was so attractive. It was the Land of Liberty and Freedom for all (but not in 1776).

      So the force of your objections interests me. It paints a different picture of America. One that is maybe less tolerant? And yet you have posted you have no objections to Jews only Zionism? If this is the case maybe Zionist should be substituted for Jew?

      I thought what was important was what you could do for your country not where you came from.

      I’m obviously missing something here. I am British and some bloggers think me stupid – so maybe that explains it.

      Donald Trump’s origin is German / Scottish and his daughter is a Jewish convert. I’m just puzzled as to why any of this is important. He lives in Trump Tower NYC I think.

      The views behaviour of Jews in Israel does not necessarily equate with the views and behaviour of Jews anywhere else. In the same way that Irish Americans and Ireland, Muslim Americans and IS – so I just don’t get it.

      In the UK one of our best Prime Ministers, Sir Benjamin Disraeli, was Jewish and many of our most successful politicians are also Jewish. Not that any of this matters really. I understand that there are more Jewish Americans living in New York than in Israel so they will have an opinion that will influence policy I would think. Trump will need their votes…

      What I have learned from these blogs is that Americans have a unique way of thinking. They are aggressively defensive and very suspicious almost to the point of paranoia. I’m not saying this is a bad thing but it makes consensus politics impossible.

      In my humble view America can excel if it pulls together rather than in different directions. Your thinking appears to be very sectarian and this has its own dangers of your system being hijacked by a minority group with the loudest megaphone. In Ametica is seems that the message may not be as important as the decibels with which it is delivered.

      The road to dictatorship can be by stealth through the ballot box and this is much more likely to happen with a fragmented society at each others throats.

      But there is an inherent inability to compromise and societies with this culture suffer serious civil unrest and ultimate loss of freedom.

  19. Lmao “I” Annie. It’s obviously apparent that being a Liberal loon and espousing your nutty rhetoric, that you don’t believe in American values. Any man or woman of the age of 35 can run for President. But in your book, they have to be a criminal career Liberal politician to qualify and there’s plenty of those types.

    Donald Trump was created by Obama and the Democrats and their anti American values and love of fascism. That’s why he resonates with voters and I’ll bet my life’s savings that Donald Trump is a hell of a lot more of a true Patriot than you’ll ever be.

    He’s created more jobs for Americans than any politician in history. He, unlike Hillary, got his wealth honestly and is in nobody’s pocket. He doesn’t need any donations from special interest. He’s had more dealings with world leaders than Hillary will ever have or Bernie Back to the Future doc Brown Sanders.

    You can insult Trump and his voters all you want but he’s richer smarter younger more worldly and more Patriotic than any of the jokes the Democrat’s produce. I’m glad he bothers you enough that you waste your time complaining about him. lol

    http://garciamedialife.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/donald-trump.jpg

  20. Everyone should read the link in the above article “long critic of the OLC” – especially the last page titled “Conclusion” also written by Jonathan Turley presented to Congress.

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