They know the reasons the White House has given: That the 77-year-old Walpin was addled and not up to the job, that he had too many conflicts with the board of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which oversees AmeriCorps, that his office had once distributed a parody newsletter that contained an allegedly sexist remark. They know all that. But they also know that AmeriCorps is one of Obama’s favorite federal programs.
They know that AmeriCorps gave an $800,000-plus grant to Kevin Johnson (former Phoenix Suns player), the mayor of Sacramento, Calif., who just happens to be an influential friend and supporter of the president.
They know that Walpin investigated Johnson’s misuse of that federal money. They know that as a result of Walpin’s probe, Johnson was suspended from receiving any new federal grants, a fact that caused controversy in Sacramento when leaders realized it could prevent the city from receiving millions in federal stimulus money.
They know that, amid the local uproar over the Johnson affair, the acting U.S. attorney in Sacramento, Lawrence Brown, made a deal to let Johnson off the hook, and then took the unusual step of denouncing Walpin.
They know that Walpin vigorously objected to Johnson’s getting off easy. And they know that after Walpin protested, the president fired him.
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