In 1984, Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd popularized that line – “Who you gonna call?” – from the theme to “Ghostbusters.” In 2018, however, “if there’s something weird/and it don’t look good,” the safest call may be to an inspector general. From allegations of FBI skullduggery, to accusations of profligate spending by cabinet offices, to theft and corruption surrounding the $126 billion spent on Afghanistan’s reconstruction, the inspector general community is increasingly in the news and relied upon for unvarnished, independent assessments on matters of grave national concern.
While many Americans, including some government officials, don’t know what an inspector general is, the concept is hardly new. Most Offices of Inspectors General were created by Congress in 1978, but the history of IGs goes back to 1778, when George Washington nominated Friedrich von Steuben to the newly created post of Inspector General of the Continental Army.
Von Steuben’s heirs – the 72 serving federal inspectors general – identify waste, fraud, and abuse in their respective agencies, and arrest those who steal from U.S. taxpayers.
This independent work is important – but it is also critical that inspectors general support Congress as it carries out its oversight obligations. Woodrow Wilson wrote that “it is the proper duty of a representative body to look diligently into every affair of government …the informing function of Congress should be preferred even to its legislative function.”
Traditionally, Congress has turned to committee staff and legislative support agencies for expertise. But much has changed on Capitol Hill over the last 40 years. The number of committee staff in the House has declined from 2,000 to 1,100, and from 1,400 to 950 in the Senate since 1979. Congressional support agencies suffered similar cuts. Government Accountability Office staff dropped from 5,300 to 3,000; Congressional Research Service staff was reduced by 28 percent; the Office of Technology Assessment was completely abolished.
As Congress’ internal expertise has declined, the number of think tanks has more than doubled since 1980. Many do great work but, as New York Times and National Public Radio investigations have found, think tanks may be beholden to foreign, corporate or wealthy private donors that may affect their independence and objectivity.
Likewise, as the number of congressional staff has decreased, the number of lobbyists has, unsurprisingly, increased. There are now roughly 12,000 congressional staffers and 11,500 registered lobbyists. Some experts estimate there are as many as 100,000 unregistered lobbyists. Lobbyists are not inherently evil but are, by definition, partial to the causes they are paid to promote.
More:
https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/408953-who-you-gonna-call-inspectors-general