(Illustration: Luna Velez / POGO)
Press Release
Rush to Confirm a Top Watchdog Could Be an Attempt to Curtail Oversight into the Trump Administration
Nominating an independent and effective comptroller general is key to delivering the oversight Americans voted for, says outside watchdog.
Washington, D.C. — Government watchdogs are raising concerns over Senator Rand Paul’s (R-KY) rush to nominate the comptroller general, Congress’s top watchdog who leads the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Kristen Brengel, Senior Vice President of Policy, Advocacy, and Capacity Building at the Project On Government Oversight (POGO), issued the following statement:
“Senator Paul’s rush to nominate the Government Accountability Office leader should raise major concerns in the Senate. Choosing the comptroller general is intended to be a bipartisan process because the 15-year appointment spans multiple Congresses and administrations. The job must be filled by a person who can objectively evaluate any presidential administration’s spending decisions and how federal agencies are run.
“At its core, the GAO is responsible for independent oversight into government fraud, abuse, and corruption. To be effective, the person in this position must retain the trust of members of Congress from both parties. In fact, the law requires a bipartisan, bicameral commission in Congress to deliberate and evaluate potential nominees to ensure they will be truly independent in uncovering government malfeasance. Giving the 10-member commission of congressional leaders 24 hours to nominate three suitable individuals, as Senator Paul did over the Veteran’s Day holiday, doesn’t signal to the public that this is a fair effort to identify an effective, nonpartisan watchdog.
“Three Comptrollers General have been nominated since this process was enacted, and each time, the nominee has been accepted by both parties. Congress must demonstrate strong bipartisan principles to select someone for this uniquely important position. Neither members of Congress nor the people they represent should have to question whether this critical role was filled as part of a partisan rush to the finish line.
“Congress must ensure this leader has the independence, integrity, and credibility necessary to hold the federal government accountable.
“If Congress is serious about rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse — as the American people have demanded they be — they should conduct a deliberate and thorough search for the next leader of GAO.”
