The Program on Law & Government hosted a forum on inspectors general
The Program on Law & Government hosted a forum April 10 addressing the role of inspectors general working with federal agencies and departments.

Program on Law & Government Hosts Panel on Role of Inspectors General

April 11, 2018

American University Washington College of Law’s Program on Law & Government hosted the second in a series of general counsel forums April 10, addressing the role of inspectors general working with federal agencies and departments.

A distinguished panel moderated by Prof. Jeffrey Lubbers featured Glen Fine, acting inspector general of the Department of Defense and previous inspector general of the Department of Justice; Michael Horowitz, inspector general of the Department of Justice, current chair of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE), and previously commissioner on the U.S. Sentencing Commission; and Deborah Jeffrey, inspector general of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the parent organization for Americorps and SeniorCorps.

The panelists discussed inspector general operations and challenges at both their own agencies and various other agencies. They highlighted the role of CIGIE in oversight of inspector generals, and the nuances of a job that involves maintaining relationships with agency heads as well as Congress, civil society, and the media.

Addressing the audience of agency and department general counsel, the three panelists emphasized the importance of developing and maintaining a positive relationship between the offices and understanding inspector general independence.  The panelists answered questions from attendees that focused on how inspector general determine priorities, what agency lawyers can do to work more constructively with their inspectors general, how to deal with inquiries about access to sensitive and sometimes classified documents, and the increasing role artificial intelligence and data mining plays in investigations and oversight.

For additional information on the role of inspectors general, visit https://www.ignet.gov/ and https://oversight.gov/

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