Report: NASA Watchdog Too Cozy With Boss

[struggle4progress]

Friday April 6, 2007 4:46 AM

AP Photo NY107

By HOPE YEN

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - NASA's top watchdog routinely tipped off department officials to internal investigations and quashed a report related to the Columbia shuttle explosion to avoid embarrassing the agency, investigators say.

A report by the Integrity Committee, a government board that investigates inspectors general, found that Robert Cobb ``created an appearance of a lack of independence,'' and it questioned whether NASA would do enough to reprimand him.

NASA administrator Michael Griffin has proposed sending Cobb to leadership training and requiring that he meet regularly with department officials on how to improve, but that is not enough, said Integrity Committee Chairman James Burrus.

``All members of the committee believe that disciplinary action, up to and including removal, could be appropriate,'' he said in a previously unreleased report that also accused Cobb of abusing authority to create an ``abusive work environment.'' ...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6537027,00.html