Some things I can simply not make up.
Today, a group of Rethug legislators and their gun-totin’ Party Chairman called for the creation of a brand-new ‘Office of the Inspector General’. In the release, Monsignor Greg Lavelle is quoted as saying:
“If anyone previously doubted that we need a government watchdog, the last few years should have convinced them otherwise,” said State House Minority Leader Greg Lavelle (R-Sharpley).
Senate Majority Leader Gary Simpson is quoted as saying:
“There has been a seemingly unending series of controversies involving state government,” said Senate Minority Leader F. Gary Simpson (R-Milford). “You cannot have accountability without enforceability and right now there is no cop walking the beat.”
Well, it indeed is possible, make that certain, that both Lavelle and Simpson are correct.
However, correct me if I’m wrong here, but don’t we already have a State Auditor whose very job is to be a government watchdog and a cop on the beat?
What we have here is an admission, however inadvertent, call it a Fraudian Slip, that Tom Wagner is not doing his job. Rather than call for his resignation, the Rethugs are calling for the creation of a new office to do the work that Wagner either refuses, or is incapable, of doing.
In typical change-the-subject fashion, the Rethugs try to blame the AG’s office, in this case greengrocer Gerald Hocker:
“If you believe a state agency is violating state law or regulations, you have to pursue legal action against them yourself. Meanwhile, your tax dollars are being used to pay the salary of a deputy attorney general that will represent the agency. Is it any wonder that state agencies often operate with impunity?”
Wasn’t it the Attorney General’s office that has challenged DELDOT’s and Minner’s sweetheart deal with Tigani in court? Where the bleep was the Auditor during all of this?
Of course, the Rethugs claim that this is a totally non-partisan proposal that they intend to submit in, wait for it, January with, wait for it, bipartisan sponsorship. That’s why the press release comes with this disclaimer:
If the Republican State Committee truly believes its own BS, then send out a press release demanding the immediate resignation of Auditor Tom Wagner.
And if the Democratic State Committee doesn’t issue a call for Wagner’s resignation, they’re committing political malpractice. After all, the Rethugs themselves have now admitted that State Auditor Wagner is not doing his job and is not capable of doing his job.
C’mon D’s, show some political backbone. The R’s have lobbed you a softball. Pound away.