Walpin-gate opens wider:FBI investigates

Washington Times Editorial

Maybe the Inspector General was onto something

President Obama’s excuses for firing AmeriCorps Inspector General Gerald Walpin look weaker every day. The FBI has opened an investigation into a Sacramento program formerly run by a close ally of President Obama’s,giving credence to the IG’s work.

The president fired Mr. Walpin June 11 after Mr. Walpin filed two reports critical of Obama friends. The highest-profile of the two reports focused on misuse of funds at Sacramento’s St. Hope Academy,then run by former NBA star Kevin Johnson before Mr. Johnson was elected Sacramento’s mayor in November. Mr. Johnson was a frequent stump speaker for Mr. Obama during last year’s campaign and has claimed in TV interviews to be particularly good friends with first lady Michelle Obama.

The inspector general detailed numerous irregularities in St. Hope’s use of AmeriCorps funds,including AmeriCorps grantees being used to wash Mr. Johnson’s car. Mr. Walpin complained vociferously,though,that acting U.S. Attorney Lawrence G. Brown had negotiated far too lenient a settlement of the charges against Mayor Johnson and St. Hope.

In turn,the U.S. attorney filed a complaint against Mr. Walpin,charging him with unethical behavior throughout the investigation. The White House fired Mr. Walpin long before the relevant committee would have finished its assessment of the U.S. attorney’s complaint.