Stimulus shenanigans

The sacking of Gerald Walpin should be front page news. Alas, since the story involves democrats it doesn't seem to interest the MSM at all. Mr. Walpin, until he was fired by the White House last Wedesday was the Inspector General of AmeriCorps. He actually had the temerity to take his job seriously and caught politicians wasting federal grant money. In paticular, Kevin Johnson, the newly elected mayor of Sacramento, California. Mr. Johnson received over $800,000 from AmeriCorps for his organization called St. Hope. It seems that Mr. Johnson used this charity and the federal dollars (i.e. your money)it received as his own personal piggy bank. Among the violations Mr. Walpin uncovered: a staffer to drive Mr. Johnson to personal appointments(sound familiar?), washing his car and to run personal errands. What Mr. Walpin failed to account for is that Mr. Johnson is a major supporter of President Obama's. So, instead of being commended for a job well done he received a phonecall telling him he had an hour to tender his resignation or he would be fired. Mr. Walpin, meet the Chicago way.

How does all this tie in with the stimulus package? Simple. If the normal rules were being followed Mr. Johnson because of the violations at St. Hope would be banned from receiving any more federal money. Which means the city of Sacramento would not be able to receive any stimulus funds. Since this couldn't be allowed to happen, Mr. Walpin was frozen out of settlement negotiations where Mr. Johnson and St. Hope agreed to pay back over $400,000 but would have the suspension on receiving federal funds lifted. So, Sacramento's spot at the trough has been secured and the administration has eliminated a gentleman who took his responsibilities to the taxpayers seriously.