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A U.S. inspector general who was fired by President Barack Obama – after crossing the president politically – reports he's been cleared by an investigation and now he wants his job back.
At the time, Walpin told WND, "I will tell you that [my firing] came only after we had issued those two reports to Congress, and I don't think that's a coincidence. I am convinced that I and my office are not guilty of any impropriety. In essence, I was fired for doing my job."
According to a report in the Sacramento Bee now, Walpin confirmed he's been cleared of claims he overstepped his authority in the investigation.
Lawrence G. Brown, the acting U.S. attorney at the time, reviewed Walpin's allegations and said there wasn't anything criminal, so he agreed to a settlement in the civil arena that involved repaying about $400,000 in AmeriCorps funding.
The Bee [A Sacramento newspaper] report also said federal officials have closed the investigation into St. HOPE without charges. The allegations were that those linked to the case deliberately deleted e-mails even though they knew they were being sought by investigators.
"We're pleased that the FBI has determined what we knew all along – that there was no intentional wrongdoing by the mayor or anyone at St. HOPE," mayoral spokesman Steve Maviglio told the newspaper.
WND later reported that Democrats in Congress proposed a plan to make several U.S. inspectors general currently appointed by federal agency heads presidential appointees instead.
An editorial published in the Washington Times blasted the plan to convert five more IGs to presidential picks:
"Such a move would undermine independent oversight of large parts of the federal bureaucracy," the editorial stated. "These changes would only serve to further politicize these positions."