Strengthening the Federal Government’s Oversight Community

 

August 21, 2024

 

Glenn Fine, former Inspector General (IG) for the Department of Justice and the Department of Defense, discusses the vital role IGs play in ensuring government accountability, a theme central to his book Watchdogs: Inspectors General and the Battle for Honest and Accountable Government. He shares the importance of IG independence, noting that many officials fail to recognize that IGs independently decide on audits and investigations. Fine advocates for several reforms to strengthen the IG community, including improving the vetting process for IG candidates, ensuring comprehensive agency oversight, and introducing term limits for IGs to bring fresh perspectives and reduce the risk of politically motivated dismissals. He highlights the challenges IGs face, particularly political pressures, as evidenced by his removal by President Trump in 2020, and calls for IGs to have testimonial subpoena authority to obtain information from former employees and contractors for more effective investigations. Additionally, Fine recommends making permanent the oversight tools developed by the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee for future use and expanding the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency's role by providing it with a dedicated budget. He also argues for the establishment of IGs in all major institutions, including the federal judiciary, Congress, and the Executive Office of the President, to ensure transparency and accountability — especially in light of recent ethical concerns.

 

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