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Friday, October 20, 2006
Appropriations Committee Slashes Oversight Contracts
CQ reports ($$) that the House Appropriations Committee Chairman -Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA)- did not renew the contracts of 60 investigators who examined federal spending. About 16 investigators remain on staff, but given the contractor reduction, no investigations will be going forward any time soon.
Committee spokesman John Scofield said Thursday that the contracts were not renewed because the panel is conducting a “bipartisan review” of the unit’s staff.
“Frankly, the work we’ve been getting as of late has not been that good,” Scofield said. “There is nothing sinister going on.”
All 60 of them were doing a bad job? That doesn't pass the smell test.
And Think Progress reports that the decision was hardly "bi-partisan." They write that, "while Committee Democrats agreed that there were problems with the investigative staff that needed to be addressed; committee Democrats had not been consulted prior to the suspension of the investigators."
Rep. Lewis could have other things on his mind. From Sen. Tom Coburn's (R-OK) office:
Rep. Jerry Lewis, the top GOP appropriator, is currently under investigation by the Justice Department for connections between lobbyists, Lewis' campaign contributors, and earmarks awarded by Lewis' committee. Rep. Duke Cunningham was sent to prison earlier this year for selling defense earmarks in return for bribes.
Posted by Matt Lewis
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