Reid Silent On Baffling Decision To Block inspectors general access all of the official documents they need to fight waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government.

March 18, 2016 in News by RBN Staff

Front Page

Senate Democratic Minority Leader Harry Reid  refuses to say why for months he has blocked a bipartisan bill designed to ensure inspectors general access all of the official documents they need to fight waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government.

Three months ago, the Nevada senator blocked an attempt to pass Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley’s IG Empowerment Act with unanimous consent, which would make it crystal clear that the 1978 Inspector General Act gives presidentially appointed IGs authority to access all agency records for investigations and audits.

Reid still refuses to change his position or explain his objections. A spokesman for Reid did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s requests for an explanation of Reid’s opposition to the bill. The measure is co-sponsored by Democratic senators Tammy Baldwin  and Claire McCaskill

“I cannot imagine anything controversial about wanting inspectors general to have access to the people and documents they need to do their jobs for the American people,” Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, another co-sponsor of the bill and chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, told TheDCNF.

“Americans deserve a transparent and accountable government, and, this being Sunshine Week, it is particularly concerning that Minority Leader Reid refuses to disclose why these bipartisan, commonsense reforms are being blocked,” Johnson said.

The FBI began denying or delaying records sought in 2010 by the Department of Justice IG after the watchdog published several reports that were highly critical of the bureau. The FBI’s refusals contradicted the 1978 law granting IGs access to “all” agency records, but other agencies quickly followed the bureau’s lead.
Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2016/03/18/reid-silent-on-baffling-decision-to-block-bipartisan-ig-empowering-bill/#ixzz43GTTuNAR