Easy Greg
For Immediate Release
Friday, March 7, 2008
Contact: Marc Siegel
Easy Greg
Weeks into the NRCC accounting scandal, U.S. Congressman and 2010 gubernatorial candidate Greg Walden lashes out at critics rather than take responsibility or explain his inaction. Greg Walden's successor unraveled an accounting scheme in his first year that Walden could not recognize nor solve during his 2003-2006 tenure as accounting panel chair.
Portland - What does Greg Walden do when people point out his mistakes?
He doesn't take responsibility or answer the tough questions. He just blames others.
Today's report in The Bulletin points out that during U.S. Congressman Greg Walden's (R-OR) 2003-2006 tenure as chair of the auditing committee for the National Republican Congressional Committee, he could not unravel a fraudulent accounting scheme that took his successor only one year to solve.
But, when queried about his lack of oversight, lack of action and lack of leadership, Walden did not accept responsibility nor explain what happened. He lashed out.
"Walden, who represents Central, Eastern and much of Southern Oregon, declined to respond to the substance of the Democratic criticism.
‘It's typical coming out of their shop,' Walden said. ‘They know nothing about what happened at the committee, but it doesn't stop them from taking cheap shots.'"
(The Bulletin, 3-7-08)
"If Greg Walden had responded as quickly to the fraudulent audits as he did to his critics, he wouldn't be in this mess," DPO Executive Director Trent Lutz said. "It took Walden's successor only one year to solve a problem Walden couldn't figure out in three. How can Oregonians trust Greg Walden to stand up for them when he can't even stand up to his own accountant?"
Walden may not want to respond to questions about his role in this brewing scandal, but that doesn't minimize the importance of his answers. Here are the questions the DPO posed to Walden - who is running for Governor in 2010 - earlier this week. The full press release can be found here.
1. How could it take the chair of the auditing panel two years to notice criminal audit fraud? Is your gubernatorial campaign platform going to be "I'll worry about Oregon's problems halfway through my first term?"
"But two years into his tenure as chairman of the audit committee, Walden said he began to have doubts about the audits he received."
(The Bulletin, 2-26-08)
2. Do you regret shirking your responsibilities and leaving the problem up to your successor to handle? Why was your successor up to the challenge of taking action and you were not?
"The National Republican Congressional Committee didn't take action until more than a year into the tenure of Walden's successor, Rep. Michael Conaway, R-Texas. Conaway, who is a certified public accountant, pressed Cole to take action after reviewing the committee's finances, said Conaway spokeswoman Anna Koch."
(The Bulletin, 2-26-08)
3. How could a sitting congressman and chair of an auditing panel be unable to meet the auditors he is responsible for overseeing? These people worked for you for years, yet you could not set up a meeting? And how could that kind of bizarre behavior not force you to take clear, decisive action such as firing the accounting firm or ordering an investigation, rather than leaving it for your successor to clean up?
"On Monday, Walden said he tried several times to meet with the outside auditors and was stiff-armed by committee staff. ‘We just got spun, frankly,' he said."
(Steve Duin Column, The Oregonian, 3-4-08)
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