United States Pandemic Response Accountability Committee: Difference between revisions

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On March 30, 2020, [[Michael E. Horowitz]], chair of the CIGIE and [[United States Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General|Inspector General]] of the [[United States Department of Justice]], as authorized by the CARE Act, appointed [[Glenn A. Fine]], acting [[Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Defense|Inspector General]] of the [[U.S. Department of Defense]], to be the chair of the PRAC.<ref name=HouseOversight_300320/> Senate Minority Leader [[Chuck Schumer]] (D-N.Y.) praised Fine's appointment.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rowland |first1=Geoffrey |title=Schumer praises choice of Defense inspector general to oversee corporate lending fund |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/490202-schumer-praises-choice-of-defense-inspector-general-to-oversee-corporate |website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |access-date=April 8, 2020 |language=en |date=March 30, 2020}}</ref> On April 1, Horowitz and Fine announced that [[Paul K. Martin]], [[NASA Office of Inspector General|Inspector General]] of [[NASA]], was appointed Vice Chair of PRAC. They further announced that the nine statutory members of the PRAC would be joined by twelve non-statutory members, for a total of 21 members.<ref name=CIGIE_040120/> In response to President Trump's removal on April 3 of [[Inspector General of the Intelligence Community]] [[Michael Atkinson (Inspector General)|Michael Atkinson]], CIGIE Chair Horowitz stated, "The Inspector General Community will continue to conduct aggressive, independent oversight of the agencies that we oversee. This includes CIGIE’s Pandemic Response Accountability Committee and its efforts on behalf of American taxpayers, families, businesses, patients, and health care providers to ensure that over $2 trillion in emergency federal spending is being used consistently with the law’s mandate."<ref>{{cite web |title=CIGIE press release on the removal of Michael Atkinson |url=https://www.ignet.gov/sites/default/files/files/Statement%20--%20CIGIE%20Chair%20Horowitz.pdf |website=Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency |access-date=15 April 2020 |date=4 April 2020}}</ref>
On March 30, 2020, [[Michael E. Horowitz]], chair of the CIGIE and [[United States Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General|Inspector General]] of the [[United States Department of Justice]], as authorized by the CARE Act, appointed [[Glenn A. Fine]], acting [[Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Defense|Inspector General]] of the [[U.S. Department of Defense]], to be the chair of the PRAC.<ref name=HouseOversight_300320/> Senate Minority Leader [[Chuck Schumer]] (D-N.Y.) praised Fine's appointment.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rowland |first1=Geoffrey |title=Schumer praises choice of Defense inspector general to oversee corporate lending fund |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/490202-schumer-praises-choice-of-defense-inspector-general-to-oversee-corporate |website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |access-date=April 8, 2020 |language=en |date=March 30, 2020}}</ref> On April 1, Horowitz and Fine announced that [[Paul K. Martin]], [[NASA Office of Inspector General|Inspector General]] of [[NASA]], was appointed Vice Chair of PRAC. They further announced that the nine statutory members of the PRAC would be joined by twelve non-statutory members, for a total of 21 members.<ref name=CIGIE_040120/> In response to President Trump's removal on April 3 of [[Inspector General of the Intelligence Community]] [[Michael Atkinson (Inspector General)|Michael Atkinson]], CIGIE Chair Horowitz stated, "The Inspector General Community will continue to conduct aggressive, independent oversight of the agencies that we oversee. This includes CIGIE’s Pandemic Response Accountability Committee and its efforts on behalf of American taxpayers, families, businesses, patients, and health care providers to ensure that over $2 trillion in emergency federal spending is being used consistently with the law’s mandate."<ref>{{cite web |title=CIGIE press release on the removal of Michael Atkinson |url=https://www.ignet.gov/sites/default/files/files/Statement%20--%20CIGIE%20Chair%20Horowitz.pdf |website=Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency |access-date=15 April 2020 |date=4 April 2020}}</ref>


On April 7, 2020, President Trump removed Fine from his position as acting IG for the Defense Department. Although Fine retained his position as principal deputy IG for the Defense Department,<ref name="WaPo_070420">{{cite news|last1=Nakashima|first1=Ellen|date=April 7, 2020|title=Trump removes inspector general who was to oversee $2 trillion stimulus spending|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/trump-removes-inspector-general-who-was-to-oversee-2-trillion-stimulus-spending/2020/04/07/2f0c6cb8-78ea-11ea-9bee-c5bf9d2e3288_story.html|access-date=April 8, 2020|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|language=en}}</ref> his removal as acting IG made him ineligible to chair the PRAC. Fine, who had filled various [[Inspector general#United States|inspector general]] positions for 15 years under both Democratic and Republican administrations, was not given a reason for his dismissal. Former Secretary of Defense [[Jim Mattis]] immediately released a rare public rebuke of the firing.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McLaughlin |first1=Jenna |last2=Knowles |first2=David |last3=Isikoff |first3=Michael |title=Mattis rebukes Trump over removal of Pentagon inspector general |url=https://news.yahoo.com/trump-declares-war-on-inspectors-general-201355376.html |website=[[Yahoo! News]] |access-date=April 8, 2020 |date=April 7, 2020}}</ref> The next day, legislation was introduced to allow Fine to continue as chair the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee,<ref name="FactCheck20200408">{{cite web |last=Rieder |first=Rem |last2=Kiely |first2=Eugene |date=April 8, 2020 |title=Trump's Claims on IG, Wisconsin Election |url=https://www.factcheck.org/2020/04/trumps-claims-on-ig-wisconsin-election |access-date=9 April 2020 |website=[[FactCheck.org]]}}</ref> while Sens. [[Elizabeth Warren]] (D-Mass) and [[Richard Blumenthal]] (D-Conn) released a letter urging Horowitz to take the PRAC chair himself, stating, "with the exception of firing a score of Inspectors General and replacing them with handpicked toadies, there is little that President Trump can do to prevent the PRAC from doing its job of overseeing the federal government's coronavirus response."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lesniewski |first1=Niels |title=Senate Democrats back oversight efforts after Trump removal of IG |url=https://www.rollcall.com/2020/04/08/senate-democrats-back-oversight-efforts-after-trump-removal-of-ig |website=Roll Call |access-date=April 9, 2020 |language=en |date=April 8, 2020}}</ref> Horowitz became acting chair of the PRAC.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Rotenberg|first1=Jeffrey D.|last2=Hans|first2=Richard F.|date=1 May 2020|title=Pandemic Response Accountability Committee|url=https://www.dlapiper.com/en/uk/insights/publications/2020/05/pandemic-response-accountability-committee-update/|access-date=16 June 2020|website=DLA Piper|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=PRAC Members {{!}} Pandemic Response Accountability Committee|url=https://pandemic.oversight.gov/about/prac/members|access-date=2020-06-16|website=pandemic.oversight.gov|archive-date=June 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616152717/https://pandemic.oversight.gov/about/prac/members|url-status=dead}}</ref> Fine resigned from government service on May 25.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schmitt |first1=Eric |last2=Savage |first2=Charlie |last3=Weiland |first3=Noah |title=Longtime Pentagon Watchdog Stepping Down From Post |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/26/us/politics/pentagon-inspector-general-glenn-fine.html/ |website=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=26 May 2020 |date=26 May 2020}}</ref>
On April 7, 2020, President Trump removed Fine from his position as acting IG for the Defense Department. Although Fine retained his position as principal deputy IG for the Defense Department,<ref name="WaPo_070420">{{cite news|last1=Nakashima|first1=Ellen|date=April 7, 2020|title=Trump removes inspector general who was to oversee $2 trillion stimulus spending|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/trump-removes-inspector-general-who-was-to-oversee-2-trillion-stimulus-spending/2020/04/07/2f0c6cb8-78ea-11ea-9bee-c5bf9d2e3288_story.html|access-date=April 8, 2020|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|language=en}}</ref> his removal as acting IG made him ineligible to chair the PRAC. Fine, who had filled various [[Inspector general#United States|inspector general]] positions for 15 years under both Democratic and Republican administrations, was not given a reason for his dismissal. Former Secretary of Defense [[Jim Mattis]] immediately released a rare public rebuke of the firing.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McLaughlin |first1=Jenna |last2=Knowles |first2=David |last3=Isikoff |first3=Michael |title=Mattis rebukes Trump over removal of Pentagon inspector general |url=https://news.yahoo.com/trump-declares-war-on-inspectors-general-201355376.html |website=[[Yahoo! News]] |access-date=April 8, 2020 |date=April 7, 2020}}</ref> The next day, legislation was introduced to allow Fine to continue as chair the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee,<ref name="FactCheck20200408">{{cite web |last=Rieder |first=Rem |last2=Kiely |first2=Eugene |date=April 8, 2020 |title=Trump's Claims on IG, Wisconsin Election |url=https://www.factcheck.org/2020/04/trumps-claims-on-ig-wisconsin-election |access-date=9 April 2020 |website=[[FactCheck.org]]}}</ref> while Sens. [[Elizabeth Warren]] (D-Mass) and [[Richard Blumenthal]] (D-Conn) released a letter urging Horowitz to take the PRAC chair himself, stating, "with the exception of firing a score of Inspectors General and replacing them with handpicked toadies, there is little that President Trump can do to prevent the PRAC from doing its job of overseeing the federal government's coronavirus response."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lesniewski |first1=Niels |title=Senate Democrats back oversight efforts after Trump removal of IG |url=https://www.rollcall.com/2020/04/08/senate-democrats-back-oversight-efforts-after-trump-removal-of-ig |website=Roll Call |access-date=April 9, 2020 |language=en |date=April 8, 2020}}</ref> Horowitz became acting chair of the PRAC.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Rotenberg|first1=Jeffrey D.|last2=Hans|first2=Richard F.|date=1 May 2020|title=Pandemic Response Accountability Committee|url=https://www.dlapiper.com/en/uk/insights/publications/2020/05/pandemic-response-accountability-committee-update/|access-date=16 June 2020|website=DLA Piper|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=PRAC Members {{!}} Pandemic Response Accountability Committee|url=https://pandemic.oversight.gov/about/prac/members|access-date=2020-06-16|website=pandemic.oversight.gov|archive-date=June 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616152717/https://pandemic.oversight.gov/about/prac/members|url-status=dead}}</ref> Fine resigned from government service on May 25.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schmitt |first1=Eric |last2=Savage |first2=Charlie |last3=Weiland |first3=Noah |title=Longtime Pentagon Watchdog Stepping Down From Post |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/26/us/politics/pentagon-inspector-general-glenn-fine.html/ |website=The New York Times |access-date=26 May 2020 |date=26 May 2020}}</ref>


On April 27, 2020, CIGIE Chair Horowitz named [[Bob Westbrooks]], who had been Inspector General of the [[Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation]] from May 2015, to be the executive director responsible for day-to-day functions. Horowitz also announced a website to collect oversight data and reports conducted by the PRAC, individual IGs, and the [[Government Accountability Office]], as stipulated in the CARES Act, as well as a Twitter account.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Farivar |first1=Masood |title=COVID Watchdogs Struggle to Get Up and Running |url=https://www.voanews.com/usa/us-politics/covid-watchdogs-struggle-get-and-running |website=Voice of America |access-date=29 April 2020 |language=en |date=28 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Pandemic Response Accountability Committee Names Director; Launches Website |url=https://www.ignet.gov/sites/default/files/files/PRAC-press-release(2).pdf |website=Pandemic Response Accountability Committee |access-date=29 April 2020 |date=27 April 2020}}</ref>
On April 27, 2020, CIGIE Chair Horowitz named [[Bob Westbrooks]], who had been Inspector General of the [[Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation]] from May 2015, to be the executive director responsible for day-to-day functions. Horowitz also announced a website to collect oversight data and reports conducted by the PRAC, individual IGs, and the [[Government Accountability Office]], as stipulated in the CARES Act, as well as a Twitter account.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Farivar |first1=Masood |title=COVID Watchdogs Struggle to Get Up and Running |url=https://www.voanews.com/usa/us-politics/covid-watchdogs-struggle-get-and-running |website=Voice of America |access-date=29 April 2020 |language=en |date=28 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Pandemic Response Accountability Committee Names Director; Launches Website |url=https://www.ignet.gov/sites/default/files/files/PRAC-press-release(2).pdf |website=Pandemic Response Accountability Committee |access-date=29 April 2020 |date=27 April 2020}}</ref>