Washington Examiner Editorial
November 22, 2009
On Friday, The Washington Examiner‘s chief political correspondent, Byron York, had another stunning report on the scandal involving the firing of Americorps Inspector General Gerald Walpin. Earlier this year, Walpin was fired in what appears to be a politically motivated attempt by Democrats to silence his investigation into allegations of misuse of $800,000 in federal funds by Sacramento mayor and former NBA star Kevin Johnson. The funds were provided by the federal Americorps program to St. Hope, a nonprofit school that Johnson then headed.
York’s latest blockbuster is his reporting of a congressional report prepared by Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif. While probing the misuse of funds allegations, congressional investigators were told that Johnson made improper advances toward three young women at St. Hope. The report also alleges that Michelle Rhee, D.C.’s nationally-celebrated chancellor of schools and now Johnson’s fiancee, acted as a fixer for her future husband when she was on the St. Hope board of directors. Rhee allegedly reassured St. Hope employees that she would investigate Johnson’s inappropriate conduct. Shortly afterward, Johnson’s personal attorney visited one of the young women making the accusations. At about the same time, investigators were told, Johnson offered one of the women $1,000 a month to keep quiet.
Walpin was cleared of any wrongdoing by the Integrity Committee of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency. The Obama administration still defends the decision to fire Walpin, but a growing body of evidence suggests the president’s aides feared Walpin would expose corruption of two rising stars in the Democratic Party.
The rest is here.
