WASHINGTON DC (April 15, 2020) — On April 14, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles "Chuck" Grassley (R-IA) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) wrote to Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz, in his role as chair of the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE), regarding CIGIE’s role in the inspector general nominating process.
Under the Inspector General Reform Act of 2008, CIGIE is required to submit recommendations to the president for appointment to an office of inspector general. The bipartisan inquiry is spurred by a flurry of nominations by President Donald Trump to fill critical IG vacancies, including nominations made last week for positions at the Departments of Defense and Education, as well as the Central Intelligence Agency, Tennessee Valley Authority, and Office of the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery.
“[T]he extent to which CIGIE has actually been involved in the nomination process for these nominees, as specified by Congress, is not clear,” Sens Grassley and Wyden wrote. “As the Senate considers pending IG nominations and as the President works to fill the many additional IG vacancies, it is important to ensure that CIGIE is fulfilling its role by providing informed recommendations to the President. It is also important to ensure that the IG community’s voice is heard in the nomination process.”
Sens Grassley and Wyden inquired about the CIGIE recommendation process, the consistency of its advice to the White House, the rate at which its advice is taken by the White House, and how often CIGIE has expressed concerns about IG vacancies. They also encouraged colleagues to promptly take up pending IG nominations for the Export-Import Bank and US Nuclear Regulatory Commission as soon as the Senate returns to regular session.
Sens Grassley and Wyden’s letter can be found HERE.
