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Cummings Statement on Krongard Resignation |
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Washington, DC— Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, released the following statement in response to State Department Inspector General Howard “Cookie” Krongard’s announcement of resignation. Mr. Krongard has been at the center of controversy in recent months following Congressional investigations into allegations involving his motives in various aspects of his position. This controversy came to a head last month at a Committee hearing when Congressman Cummings produced evidence contradicting Mr. Krongard’s testimony about his brother A.B. “Buzzy” Krongard’s position on the Board of Blackwater USA, a private contracting company under investigation by the State Department. In response, Mr. Krongard recused himself from the investigation.
“Although his tenure has been defined by a myriad of poor decisions, Inspector General Howard Krongard is finally demonstrating sound judgment through his decision to step down.
“The allegations that have been raised against Mr. Krongard in recent months are very serious and have severely weakened the credibility and appearance of impartiality in the office assigned the critical task of preventing and detecting fraud and abuse within the State Department. With Mr. Krongard’s resignation, we can now begin the process of restoring credibility to the office of the Inspector General, in turn restoring the effectiveness and efficiency of the U.S. Department of State.
“It is my hope that, in choosing a new appointee to fill this position, President Bush will look for a candidate who encompasses the essential qualities of impartiality and objectivity toward the institution he or she is entrusted to monitor. The President must move quickly in replacing Mr. Krongard with a highly qualified candidate who will immediately look into ongoing investigations of corruption and the wasteful spending of billions of taxpayer dollars that have been allegedly blocked and impeded during Mr. Krongard’s time in this position. This entails taking the appropriate actions to ensure that these investigations are being conducted in a manner consistent with proper protocol and that those who are guilty of violating the law be held to account for their actions. The new IG must also fully cooperate with the Department of Justice and other federal agencies in the investigations of wrongdoing by entities operating under the State Department.”
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