Comments on: GAO and Intelligence Oversight http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/2008/08/gao_and_intel.html Secrecy News from the FAS Project on Government Secrecy Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:23:26 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Chewtobacca http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/2008/08/gao_and_intel.html/comment-page-1#comment-1719 Chewtobacca Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:42:36 +0000 http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/?p=1860#comment-1719 Who said the GAO should substitute for the DoD IG? Who said GAO's primary mission is to control fiscal policy? That's right, no one. The GAO is an auditing and investigative organization under congressional direction. Day to day it does a pretty good job, even without a confirmed Comptroller General in place. Who said the GAO should substitute for the DoD IG? Who said GAO’s primary mission is to control fiscal policy? That’s right, no one.

The GAO is an auditing and investigative organization under congressional direction. Day to day it does a pretty good job, even without a confirmed Comptroller General in place.

]]> By: A. Scott Crawford http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/2008/08/gao_and_intel.html/comment-page-1#comment-1718 A. Scott Crawford Wed, 06 Aug 2008 21:35:49 +0000 http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/?p=1860#comment-1718 The GAO is not a substitute for the DoD IG. Considering that the GAO demonstrated itself unfit and/or unable to sufficiently control or perform it's PRIMARY mission (fiscal policy... a la the pre-2000 "General Accounting Office") well enough to avert the collapse of gigantic financial markets, nor fit to reform audit practices to protect average American homeowners or investors, nor able to produce a revised version of international audit guidelines (which OIG's abroad have discovered only after repeated failed attempts at application)... and considering the nebulous status of the GAO given the premature exit of Comptroller General D. Walker four years early, as well as the current lack of a confirmed permanent replacement... there would seem numerous reasons for the DoD or U.S. intelligence community to defer to other than the GAO during this transition period. Finally. As the Comptroller General resigned on Feb 15, 2008, and as his deputy acting as his replacement is unconfirmed, it is uncertain how much of the 2000 reorganization undertaken by Mr. Walker will be retained. This suggests that referring to this, that, or another aspect of the GAO prior to the appointment and confirmation of the next Comptroller General is academic and will wholly depend on the new CG. The GAO is not a substitute for the DoD IG. Considering that the GAO demonstrated itself unfit and/or unable to sufficiently control or perform it’s PRIMARY mission (fiscal policy… a la the pre-2000 “General Accounting Office”) well enough to avert the collapse of gigantic financial markets, nor fit to reform audit practices to protect average American homeowners or investors, nor able to produce a revised version of international audit guidelines (which OIG’s abroad have discovered only after repeated failed attempts at application)… and considering the nebulous status of the GAO given the premature exit of Comptroller General D. Walker four years early, as well as the current lack of a confirmed permanent replacement… there would seem numerous reasons for the DoD or U.S. intelligence community to defer to other than the GAO during this transition period.

Finally. As the Comptroller General resigned on Feb 15, 2008, and as his deputy acting as his replacement is unconfirmed, it is uncertain how much of the 2000 reorganization undertaken by Mr. Walker will be retained. This suggests that referring to this, that, or another aspect of the GAO prior to the appointment and confirmation of the next Comptroller General is academic and will wholly depend on the new CG.

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