NASA Investigator General in Hot Water
Congressman Bart Gordon, a representative in the House of Representatives serving the Sixth Congressional District from Tennessee, has called for the resignation or firing of Robert "Moose" Cobb, the Investigator General of NASA, due to a lack of confidence in his oversight of NASA spending, despite the congressman's own flagrant spending of taxpayer dollars.Rep. Gordon, Chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology, recently drafted a letter with Representative Brad Miller, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, stating in part, "Apparently, Mr. Cobb thought he was supposed to be the lap dog, rather than the watchdog, of NASA...(We) found that Mr. Cobb is one of the least productive IGs in the federal government...His monetary accomplishments reflect a return of just 36 cents for every dollar budgeted for his office. This compares with an average of $9.49 returned for every dollar spent on other IGs' offices. The main reason for this failure is that NASA's audit operation is not working."
In the letter Gordon and Miller also said, "Mr. Cobb's ineffectiveness in policing his agency has been demonstrated repeatedly during his tenure. In 2006, after a lengthy investigation, the Integrity Committee of the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency (PCIE) found that Mr. Cobb, a presidential appointee, demonstrated a lack of independence from NASA management because of his socializing and frequent consultations with NASA officials about his office's work."
Also included in the letter was the following statement, "President Barack Obama: In the almost $800-billion economic recovery package you signed into law last week, federal inspectors general offices were allocated millions of dollars of additional funding so that they have the resources to oversee spending of stimulus money. We are confident that many of the sitting inspectors general are capable of meeting this new challenge. However, Robert Cobb, the inspector general (IG) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), cannot be relied upon to carry out this important task. With an agency budget of more than $17 billion and another $600 million proposed in the economic stimulus package, NASA cannot afford another four years with an ineffective inspector general. We are asking that you take immediate steps to remove Mr. Cobb."
Rep. Gordon is himself under direct criticism from his home district, where challenger for the Sixth Congressional seat General Dave Evans has been firing at Rep. Gordon due to a recent junket to Europe that Rep. Gordon had no clear purpose to be involved with.
"In this case I do not see why he had a need to go to Europe," said General Evans in a statement for Associated Content, "it came immediately on the 'apparent need' of the $787 Billion stimulus bill---a bill our legislatures could not even read. If Mr. Gordon had a particular role or voting capacity at NATO that would be one thing. Otherwise, why? There was no need to travel based on purposes of committees and subcommittees. We as a public have a right to understand such thinking."
Government officials have come under increasing scrutiny as the federal government increases taxes, bail out selected businesses, call out excesses by specific corporations and their employees, yet fails to modify it's own behavior.
"The lack of transparency is what is concerning." Said General Evans.
President Obama was elected on a platform of increased transparency and a "change" to the way business was conducted in Washington D.C., yet very little has changed. Earmarks, helicoptered appropriations, lobbyists, and increasing government spending have continued during his term unabated.
Robert "Moose" Cobb was appointed to the position of NASA Inspector General on February 25, 2002. In recent years NASA has been under increased pressure due to less-than-successful missions and hindered by basically flat-line federal funding.
General Evans, when asked what change he could bring to congress if elected, said, "I would make a concerted effort to not lose touch with my home district. I would dedicate myself to doing what is in the best interest of my constituents. I am not nor do I desire to be a career politician. I would devote myself to being a true citizen politician."
So, should Rep. Gordon step down, or at least release a public explanation for his own inability to policy his use of taxpayer dollars?
Sources:
CNN, Lawmakers: NASA watchdog lacks bite, needs to go, by Abbie Boudreau and Scott Zamost
US House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology, Letter To President Obama, February 24, 2008
NASA Watch, Bart Gordon Goes After Moose Cobb Again, March 11, 2009
US House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology, GAO Report Finds Failure of Oversight by NASA IG, January 9, 2009
|
|