Government Corruption & Oversight News
The Daily Signal investigates corruption, fraud, and abuse in government while tracking oversight hearings, whistleblower reports, and accountability measures that promote integrity in public service.
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- News
Audit: IRS Fails Transparency Test on Over 1 in 10 FOIA Requests
A new audit shows that the Internal Revenue Service improperly withheld information from requesters under the Freedom of Information Act 12.3 percent of the time. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, or TIGTA, the IRS’ auditor, reviewed a statistically valid sample of 65 FOIA requests and found eight requests for which the tax collector…M.D. Kittle -
- News
Senator Moves to Rein in $600 Million Government Agency That Operates ‘Without Real Congressional Oversight’
In an attempt to enforce transparency and accountability, a Republican senator is attempting to restructure a federal agency that oversees a wide range of consumer financial products. The agency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, operates with 1,372 full-time employees on roughly a $600 million annual budget. “Right now, [the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau] is a rogue…Kelsey Bolar -
- Opinion
Lawmakers Now Have Opportunity to Strengthen Their Oversight of the Iran Deal
The Senate soon will have an opportunity to strengthen congressional oversight over the Obama administration’s naïve and risky nuclear framework agreement with Iran. The Senate will be considering the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015, introduced by Sens. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and Robert Menendez, D-N.J. The bill would allow members of Congress to review…James Phillips -
- News
Bill de Blasio’s Pick for NYPD Oversight Board Linked to Group in Cop-Killer Video
The lawyer who chairs the New York City agency responsible for investigating police brutality allegations has ties to the federally funded legal-aid group featured in a cop-killer video. Richard Emery, chairman of the city’s Civilian Complaint Review Board and his own civil-rights law firm, told The Daily Signal that any perceived conflict of interest is…Evan Gahr -
- News
Government Audit Finds Welfare Fraud, Lack of Oversight
LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska’s state auditor has unearthed a variety of problems with the way Nebraska doles out welfare and monitors the program, including $11,000 in payments for six months’ worth of cab rides, even though the welfare recipient owned a car. Even though the problems were found during audits that are still in progress,…Deena Winter -
- Opinion
A Snub to Congress: Oversight of International Broadcasting Agency in Question
With the hiring of new Chief Executive Officer Andy Lack, formerly of Bloomberg News, the Broadcasting Board of Governors has pulled an end-run around congressional efforts to reform and restore civilian U.S. international broadcasting. The hire was announced this week, the same week it became clear that reform legislation, H.R. 4490, which passed the House…Helle Dale -
- News
‘Big Green’ Lobby Wants to Cut 2 of 3 Forestry Oversight Branches
Pay your protection money. Do the secret handshake. And kiss the ring. Otherwise, forget having green activists attach their environmental seal of approval to the wood products harvested from your forest. That’s essentially the message organizations such as the Natural Resources Defense Council, Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace will be in a position to…Kevin Mooney