A scandal involving misuse of taxpayers' money by a self-proclaimed friend of President Barack Obama is heating up, according to published reports. Unfortunately, the man perhaps best qualified to be looking into the affair won't be doing so. Obama fired him.
It has been reported that Obama fired Gerald Walpin from his position as inspector general for the AmeriCorps program. The president's only explanation, contained in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was that he had lost confidence in Walpin.
But the firing occurred after Walpin exposed misuse of federal funds by the St. Hope Academy in Sacramento, Calif. The academy, then run by former professional basketball player Kevin Johnson, was found to have spent AmeriCorps money improperly. Some of it was used for political purposes - and some was used to benefit Johnson personally. Johnson, who helped in Obama's presidential campaign last fall, agreed to repay half of the $847,000 grant involved in Walpin's investigation.
Then Obama fired Walpin. On the same day he did that, the executive director at the St. Hope Academy left his position.
In his resignation letter, Rick Maya accused Johnson and some St. Hope board members of ethics violations. He also wrote that a board member had deleted e-mails from Johnson that were involved in a federal investigation. Now the FBI is investigating St. Hope.
A few members of Congress have demanded more information on why Obama fired Walpin. They should not let the matter drop, in view of the suspicious timing of the dismissal.