Obama To Announce Stimulus Oversight Chair
President Barack Obama plans to announce Monday a former Secret Service agent who helped expose lobbyists' corruption at the Interior Department as his pick to oversee the $787 billion economic stimulus plan.
Obama is set to name Earl Devaney as chairman of the new Recovery Act Transparency and Accountability Board, an administration official said Sunday. Vice President Joe Biden also will be given a role coordinating oversight of stimulus spending.
The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the White House had not made public the announcement.
Devaney, the inspector general of the Interior Department, helped turn up disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff's dealings at the department. The department's No. 2 official, Steven Griles, pleaded guilty to charges he lied during congressional testimony based in part on Devaney's investigation.
Italia Federici, co-founder of the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy, and former Interior Department official Roger Stillwell also pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the Interior investigation.
Obama has pledged the Recovery Act Transparency and Accountability Board to be an at-large body to oversee how the government spends billions allocated to help the flailing U.S. economy. But with dozens of agencies and departments involved, Obama wanted a central group to independently monitor where those funds are going.
Obama also planned to tap Biden to meet regularly with Cabinet members, governors and mayors to make sure their efforts were quick and effective. His reports to Obama are expected to be posted at the administration Web site devoted to the bill, Recovery.gov.
Obama was set to announce Devaney during a Monday meeting with governors, who have largely supported the economic stimulus package because it will direct billions to their states for schools, roads and technology.
In addition to the Abramoff investigation, Devaney led a separate investigation into workers at the Minerals Management Service, part of the Interior Department. His review found a "culture of substance abuse and promiscuity" at the Denver and Washington offices of the service.
He has served as the inspector general — or in-house auditor — of the Interior Department since 1999.
Devaney worked as a senior official with the Secret Service, retiring in 1991. He then worked as head of criminal enforcement at the Environmental Protection Agency.
A native of Massachusetts, Devaney earned a degree from Franklin and Marshall College.
© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Obama is set to name Earl Devaney as chairman of the new Recovery Act Transparency and Accountability Board, an administration official said Sunday. Vice President Joe Biden also will be given a role coordinating oversight of stimulus spending.
The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the White House had not made public the announcement.
Devaney, the inspector general of the Interior Department, helped turn up disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff's dealings at the department. The department's No. 2 official, Steven Griles, pleaded guilty to charges he lied during congressional testimony based in part on Devaney's investigation.
Italia Federici, co-founder of the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy, and former Interior Department official Roger Stillwell also pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the Interior investigation.
Obama has pledged the Recovery Act Transparency and Accountability Board to be an at-large body to oversee how the government spends billions allocated to help the flailing U.S. economy. But with dozens of agencies and departments involved, Obama wanted a central group to independently monitor where those funds are going.
Obama also planned to tap Biden to meet regularly with Cabinet members, governors and mayors to make sure their efforts were quick and effective. His reports to Obama are expected to be posted at the administration Web site devoted to the bill, Recovery.gov.
Obama was set to announce Devaney during a Monday meeting with governors, who have largely supported the economic stimulus package because it will direct billions to their states for schools, roads and technology.
In addition to the Abramoff investigation, Devaney led a separate investigation into workers at the Minerals Management Service, part of the Interior Department. His review found a "culture of substance abuse and promiscuity" at the Denver and Washington offices of the service.
He has served as the inspector general — or in-house auditor — of the Interior Department since 1999.
Devaney worked as a senior official with the Secret Service, retiring in 1991. He then worked as head of criminal enforcement at the Environmental Protection Agency.
A native of Massachusetts, Devaney earned a degree from Franklin and Marshall College.
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I see the DJIA is in the dumper again.
Someone needs to buy this moron a muzzle.
I see the DJIA is in the dumper again.
Someone needs to buy this moron a muzzle.
You see, the Constitution doesnt have to say specifically how each power will be enforced. But, it does say those are the ONLY powers the Federal government has. So, the Feds can make laws/regulations in regards to the rules it has been given.
Posted by Mortar29 at 12:38 PM : Feb 23, 2009"
And that STILL doesn''t explain how the Federal Govt can use the militia for a foreign war seeing as the Constitution clearly states that : "To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions"
The wars in Iraq were not an insurrection NOR was there an aninvasion by Iraq nor was there a law in the Union threatened.....as such the Federal govt had no right to send the NG to Iraq or Afghanistan
YOU claimed the limits to Federal Powers were listed and the Federal govt had no other powers - thatwas YOUR claim not mine"
continuing
Your claim is that the Federal Govt can change the constitution to give itself more powers than is enshrined in the Constitution
there is ZERO Amendment to the constitution giving the Federal govt the right to call out the militial for any reason other than those reasons listed
You see, the Constitution doesnt have to say specifically how each power will be enforced. But, it does say those are the ONLY powers the Federal government has. So, the Feds can make laws/regulations in regards to the rules it has been given.
Posted by Mortar29 at 12:38 PM : Feb 23, 2009"
And that STILL doesn't explain how the Federal Govt can use the militia for a foreign war seeing as the Constitution clearly states that : "To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions"
The wars in Iraq were not an insurrection NOR was there an aninvasion by Iraq nor was there a law in the Union threatened.....as such the Federal govt had no right to send the NG to Iraq or Afghanistan
YOU claimed the limits to Federal Powers were listed and the Federal govt had no other powers - thatwas YOUR claim not mine
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Posted by rudy65432 at 12:29 PM : Feb 23, 2009"
Yep
You will still believe the constitution is something perfect and wonderful - me I'll see it as imperfect as it was written by people and therefore limited as it was perverted to protect the inerests of those who wrote it
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Posted by Mortar29 at 12:29 PM : Feb 23, 2009"
screeches the idiot who claims the Constitution prevents the Federal Govt using the NG in a foreign war but then whines that the president is allowed to use the NG for a foreign war because then "what else could he use to prosecute said wars"
It's rather like a counterfeiter defending his actions by saying "how else could I make use of my counterfeit money"
******* - YOU were the ones claiming that those line expressed the SOLE powers of the Federal govt
Seeing as you claim the founding fathers were infallible and everyone has to follow their rules to the letter, one has to assume their intention was that the individual states have to decide to send their troops off to Iraqq / Afghanistan and pay for the costs of such accordingly / either that or one has to assume that the founding fathers intended for the US NEVER to be involved in foreign wars
As I stated *******, I interpreted the "general welfare" piece to include but not be limited to the items mentioned - YOU interpreted it to be LIMITED TO THOSE ITEMS MENTIONED
That being the case it's for YOU to state how the prosecution of the war in Iraq has been within the terms of the constitution
Civil War
Posted by wolfsbanej at 12:27 PM
We'll just have to agree to disagree!
Posted by rudy65432 at 12:05 PM : Feb 23, 2009"
BS:
What made that possible was the fvcking Civil War
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Posted by jon_mccain at 12:20 PM
That explains why these corporations and lending institutions actually think that the government is theirs to control.