MAIN ARTICLE: Congress: He is a lapdog not a WatchDog.
Key members of Congress are once again putting NASA under more intense scrutiny over it's ineffective Inspector General Robert "moose" Cobb. Does the bell toll for thee Mr. Moose? More after the fold.
Poll Results: Yesterday's poll had a lower then average turnout but more then half thought...
Star Trek: In the News. Science fiction writer, Harlan Ellison, is sueing Star Trek television bosses. Scroll down for the latests news, click subscribe to stay informed.
Yesterday's Comments: "The military? Well the Generals should be given a box of toy soldiers each, and sent to play in the desert. The military in bed with private companies, that is what Ike spoke out against." - LaFeminista
Today's Poll: Should NASA's Inspector General be fired?
SHINING A LIGHT:
Once again Congress is shining the Klieg lights on NASA. It is returning for a harder look at President Bush's appointment for NASA's Inspector General (IG), Robert, "moose" Cobb. (see "Should NASA's Inspector General be fired?", 'Americans in Space', Jan 11, 2009). A report released in December 2008, by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) showed that Cobb was one of the least effective IG's in the entire Federal Government.
Recently, President Obama, has seen to it that NASA, which has been underfunded the last eight years, received some funding in the Stimulus package Congress passed. In the new budget the Administration submitted to Congress it called for a modest increase of NASA funding. Those increases are what is making congress sit up and take notice. How will Cobb make sure that the increases are not wasted down some rabbit hole like a lot of Bank bailout money.
Lawmakers: NASA watchdog lacks bite, needs to go
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Key members of Congress from both parties want NASA's internal watchdog fired, arguing he can't be trusted to oversee the $1 billion in additional money the space agency is getting under the Obama administration's economic stimulus package.
Government reports dating back to 2006 have accused NASA Inspector General Robert "Moose" Cobb of ineffectiveness, of profanely berating employees and being too close to the agency's leadership. Calls for his ouster have intensified in the past month, since NASA is getting additional stimulus money for space exploration, research, and aeronautics.
"Apparently, Mr. Cobb thought he was supposed to be the lap dog, rather than the watchdog, of NASA," Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Tennessee, told CNN.
Gordon, chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology, has asked President Obama to remove Cobb. In a letter co-authored by Rep. Brad Miller, D-North Carolina, who leads the House Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, the lawmakers argue that "NASA cannot afford another four years with an ineffective inspector general."
It's incredibly ironic for members of Congress who have scolded the inspector general for lousy oversight to dump a billion dollars into the agency," said Pete Sepp, vice president of the National Taxpayers Union, a nonprofit, nonpartisan watchdog group that monitors government spending. "The first thing you do when you're digging a hole is to stop digging. Congress doesn't seem to get that message."
Cobb declined two requests from CNN to respond to the complaints."
--end quote--
A TIME FOR ACTION:
Failure to do his job is not the only thing going against Mister "moose" Cobb. He was recently determined to abuse his position in how he treats other co-workers. In a document for the Honorable Clay Johnson, Chairman of the President's & Executive Councils on Integrity, it was laid out how he was abusive: (warning, STONG PROFANITY) Integrity Committee (PDF - 13 pages)
I do not understand what the problem is here. Fire him and get a new Inspector General who will actually FIND waste fraud and abuse. For every dollar an IG gets to use to bring corruption to light that dollar usually returns close to ten dollars. Money very well spent, in my opinion. But not in Cobb's case, he returns only .36 cents on the dollar. Now THAT is waste right there. Add in his abuse and all we need to do it is find out if he is somehow involved in fraud and you would have a trifecta on this guy.
Send an email to your Representives in Congress to fire Robert Cobb.
POLL RESULTS:
Low turnout for yesterday's poll: "Should the military have a seat at the Space Enterprise Council?". 56% DKOS members who participated would like to see the military out of the Space Enterprise Council while 34% thought they are part of the aerospace industry and should have a seat at the table. Eight percent had no opinion.
STAR TREK: In the News.
STAR TREK WRITER SUES OVER 'EXPLOITED EPISODE'
"A sci-fi writer is suing STAR TREK TV bosses, accusing them of making millions from an episode he wrote and failing to pay him a share of the profits.
Harlan Ellison wrote City on the Edge of Forever, which was aired back in 1967, featuring Joan Collins as a guest star.
In a suit filed in Los Angeles on Friday (13Mar09), Ellison claims CBS Paramount "exploited" his installment for merchandising and publishing purposes.
It reads, "Paramount has earned millions exploiting the 'City' teleplay since it was aired in 1967. Yet Paramount has not accounted to Ellison or paid him for such exploitations as it is required to do under the 1960 MBA (minimum basic agreement) and 1966 Amendment."
In a statement released to Daily Variety, Ellison himself says, "It ain't about the principle, it's about the money. Pay me."
The disgruntled writer is also suing the Writer's Guild of America for $1 (£0.70), accusing WGA bosses of failing to act on his behalf in his battle with CBS Paramount."
YESTERDAY'S COMMENTS:
"MIC Should Be Reassigned to Climate Change and energy independence.
We can't stop increasing their budget till eternity; maybe we can at least give them something to do that we need done." - Gooserock
"Its too late to worry about the Military in space The military already owns it. Behind the scenes, they make all the decisions of what happens. Private industry is a day late and a dollar short (or more likely hundreds of billions of dollars short). The Military plans to weaponize space unless something stops them, which could possibly be other humans or maybe ET." - phild1976
TODAY'S POLL:
When 'Americans in Space' covered this last time Cobb was in the hot seat a poll wasn't conducted. This time there is: Should NASA's Inspector General be fired?
Leave a comment on your views on this growing controversy.
Read other NASA and Space diaries on DKOS.