Pentagon Picks Watchdog to Oversee $2.2T Virus Spending

Glenn Fine, the acting inspector general for the Pentagon, will lead a new committee dedicated to overseeing the payout of the $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill recently signed by President Donald Trump.

Fine will head the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, a panel of nine other inspectors general from other agencies who will “promote transparency and support oversight.” Fine will be in charge of an $80 million budget.

The inspectors general come from Departments of Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Justice, Labor, and the Treasury, as well as the Small Business Administration and the Treasury Tax Administration.

He was tapped for the role by group of inspectors general who were tasked with choosing a chairman.

“Mr. Fine is uniquely qualified to lead the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, given his more than 15 years of experience as an Inspector General overseeing large organizations — 11 years as the Department of Justice Inspector General and the last 4 years performing the duties of the Department of Defense Inspector General,” said Justice Department watchdog Michael Horowitz, who leads a group of inspectors general that appointed Fine.

Fine previously worked as inspector general for the Justice Department from 2000 to 2011, through the Clinton, Bush, and Obama administrations.

The new law also calls for the formation of the Congressional Oversight Committee. Its members will be appointed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

“The Inspector General Community recognizes the need for transparency surrounding, and strong and effective independent oversight of, the federal government’s spending in response to this public health crisis,” according to Horowitz.

via newsmax