Inspectors General Reform: Considering Proposals for Greater Independence, Effectiveness, and Accountability
Partner and Congressional Investigations Practice Co-Leader at K&L Gates LLP
Student at George Washington University Law School
Formally situated in the executive branch but statutorily required to assist Congress with oversight measures, Inspectors General play a critical role in ensuring government accountability and transparency. In recent years, however, executive branch interference with Inspector General work has occurred more frequently, leading advocates to promote reforms aimed at strengthening their independence and the tools they use to provide effective oversight. In a new ACS Issue Brief, Andrew Wright, Partner and Congressional Investigations Practice Co-Leader at K&L Gates, and Sara Hall, a student at George Washington Law School, review the current reform proposals and argue that although they have failed to garner robust bipartisan support thus far, “the push for credible government accountability and transparency continues to lend itself toward reform.”