A group of internal federal watchdogs has told the Congress that they are encountering resistance too often from different agencies, charging that investigations are routinely made more difficult by the withholding of documents and other relevant information.
"Each of us strongly supports the principle that an Inspector General must have complete, unfiltered, and timely access to all information and materials available to the agency that relate to that Inspector General's oversight activities, without unreasonable administrative burdens," the group wrote in a letter sent to lawmakers in both parties.
The letter was signed by 47 different Inspectors General, representing agencies from the U.S. Postal Service to the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Justice.
The unusual missive detailed what the IG's said was unfair treatment of their investigative powers by the Peace Corps, Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency.
"Agency actions that limit, condition, or delay access thus have profoundly negative consequences for our work," the IG's wrote.
The IG letter was released by Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), who demanded some sort of reaction by the Congress.
"This is an Administration that pledged to be the most transparent in history," Grassley said in a statement sent to reporters.
"Yet, these non-partisan, independent agency watchdogs say they are getting stonewalled. How are the watchdogs supposed to be able to do their jobs without agency cooperation?" Grassley said.
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