The Inspector General

By Scott Horton

The office of inspector general can be found in all larger federal agencies. Its mission is to be an internal watchdog: to protect the public interest by maintaining a constant lookout for fraud, waste and abuse. The inspector general has been the natural ally of the whistleblower. At least that's the way things work in theory. Under the Bush Administration, however, the inspector general's office has been reserved for the most partisan figures who can be identified. The Bush inspectors general seem to operate to a different tune: they ridicule, persecute and undermine whistleblowers, thwart serious investigations and issue whitewash reports of abuse allegations–sometimes in a tone so hilarious as to provide comic relief.

Wednesday's Washington Post reports that Congressional investigators have taken a close look at the operations of the NASA inspector general, Robert W. Cobb, and have come to a firm conclusion: they want the man fired immediately. Money quote:

NASA's inspector general created a hostile and dysfunctional workplace with his "aggressive management style" and compromised his independence by appearing to be close to former NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe, two lawmakers said yesterday after reading an investigative report on his conduct.

In a letter to President Bush, Sen. Bill Nelson (D., Fla.) and Rep. Brad Miller (D., N.C.) said that the investigators who reviewed complaints against Robert W. Cobb unanimously "believed that disciplinary action up to and including removal could be appropriate."

The legislators urged Bush to fire Cobb immediately, saying that his role in ensuring the safety of the space shuttle and other NASA missions resulted in "an untenable situation that cannot be allowed to continue."

NASA has been rocked by allegations that scientists were pressured to change their views on a variety of topics (such as global warming) to conform to administration dogma. Insiders have labeled the technique the "new Lysenkoism."

Before coming to NASA, Cobb worked for Alberto Gonzales as his adviser on ethics issue.