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In recent years, it's become easier for wrongdoers to get away with abusing their government-given power.
The Obama administration has made it increasingly difficult for federal watchdogs to obtain records.
That's because it wants to prevent unauthorized disclosure of sensitive personal information. But this contradicts the intent of a government oversight system in place for 37 years.
The current law was set up in 1978 following the Watergate scandal. The idea was to install inspectors general at the government agencies and give them the power to investigate any scandals within that agency. Each inspector general was authorized access to all agency records.
But in recent years, agencies have balked at turning over information they deemed confidential, such as grand jury reports, wiretaps, credit reports, and in some cases, emails.
Then, in July, the U.S. Department of Justice made things worse.
How the DOJ Made Government Scandal Investigations Harder
The ongoing disputes between the agencies and the watchdogs over access to records led to a series of Justice Department reviews.
On July 20, the DOJ's Office of Legal Counsel issued an opinion that "all records" did not necessarily include the "confidential" categories, legitimizing what had been unofficial Obama administration policy.
"This is by far the most aggressive assault on the inspector general concept since the beginning," Paul Light, a New York University professor who has studied the IG system, told The New York Times. "It's the complete evisceration of the concept. You might as well fold them down. They've become defanged."
It's especially galling coming from the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama, who has consistently promised a more transparent government.
"Every agency and department should know that this administration stands on the side not of those who seek to withhold information but those who seek to make it known," President Obama said in a 2009 welcoming message to his senior staff.
But within a year something happened that left those words ringing hollow...
About the Author
David Zeiler, Associate Editor for Money Morning at Money Map Press, has been a journalist for more than 35 years, including 18 spent at The Baltimore Sun. He has worked as a writer, editor, and page designer at different times in his career. He's interviewed a number of well-known personalities - ranging from punk rock icon Joey Ramone to Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Wozniak.
Over the course of his journalistic career, Dave has covered many diverse subjects. Since arriving at Money Morning in 2011, he has focused primarily on technology. He's an expert on both Apple and cryptocurrencies. He started writing about Apple for The Sun in the mid-1990s, and had an Apple blog on The Sun's web site from 2007-2009. Dave's been writing about Bitcoin since 2011 - long before most people had even heard of it. He even mined it for a short time.
Dave has a BA in English and Mass Communications from Loyola University Maryland.
Wakeup people. The current resident of White House and it's administration are TRANSPARENTLY CORRUPT !!!!!
Get your heads our of your normalcy bias, politically correct butts and face the reality that the enemies of our nation are in the gate and in charge.
THE PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE LEFT IN THE DARK/THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE AND OPEN INFORMATION SOCIETY ABOUT WHAT OUR GOVERMENT IS DOING SO WE WILL NO HOW TO VOTE, ALSO WE SHOULD NO WHO VOTED ON WHAT AND WHEN~ PAST AND PRESENT AND TOMORROW AND ON*
It is time to take our country back. Even the Majority in the house and senate have not done anything for us ! All these radical islam killings ! ! Enough is enough Is there a hidden agenda we should be looking for ???
800 secret prisons in this country several that have been documented and witnessed on TV yet no one (not even this media outlet) wants to talk about them.
FROM THE STREE WE ARE FOR WHAT OUR REAL QUESTIONS TO THE WORLD ALTERNANCE JUSTICE TO THE LIGHT JUSTIFICATIONS…….
AS THE ONE I FROM THE PLACE I START TO BE HERE WHAT WILL BE RIGHT FOR DOES IN THE TABLES DARKLY PLAYING GAME…..
THE QUESTION IS WHY WE WAS IN THE SCHOOL TO LEARN DETERMINATED GOOD AND BAD…
TODAY OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO BRING CHANGE IN THE TABLE AND GUARANT OURCHILDS LIFE OUR YOUNGERS WAYS TO BE CONFORT TO THE JUSTICE LIGHT ALTERNANCE ADOPTIONS TO THE ACTIONS WE FOR THE STREET CLAIM CALL URGENCIES TO SAVE MORE CRISES OVER THE WORLD WE LOST FAMILY AND LOVERS ALL DAY WE SOORY FOR THE LOST ALTERNANCE FROM DOES BUSINESS MAKER WAR GUN KILLERS…
BUT AFTER THIS LIFE YOU WILL GET THE LIFE YOUR CONSTRUT BADLY TO ODERS..
OUR TO ADVISE THAT YOU CARE TO GET GOOD LIFE FOR FREE LIVING ALTERNANCE ETERNITIES……
THIS WHY WE CALL FREE JUSTICE AS OUR GOD FOR ONE RELIGIOUS….
NGATCHOU ABEL MOHAMED OBAMA THE 44TH AMERICAN INSTITUTIONAL PERSONAL WILL BE THE FIRST JURISTE PRIST.OR FATHER LIGHT SOON……..00237677612969 IN THE STREET I LOVLY CALL FOR URGENCIES…WORLD AMERICA HISTRIES PROMIS CHOICE BEEN TAKE PLACE…. GOOD DAY FOR THE GREAT TEACHER PAUL BIYA MY FATHER CAMEROON INSTITUTORS WORLD ALTERNER…OBAMA B'ALLAH TO BARACK WRITING….ABEL NGATCHOU TO VOICE WRITING……..