M E M O R A N D U M

To:       Reporters and Editors

Fr:        Jill Gerber for Sen. Grassley, 202/224-6522

Re:       SIGTARP independence

Da:      Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009

Sen. Chuck Grassley, ranking member of the Committee on Finance, made the following comment on the clarification that the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program does not report to the Treasury secretary.  The resolution is important toward ensuring that the inspector general has full independence to perform his job of tracking how the financial bail-out money is spent.  Sen. Grassley has long argued for and sought full independence for this and all other inspectors general.  Sen. Grassley’s comment:

“The inspector general is right. It’s good that this needless distraction is over.”

Related materials are posted here.

Aug. 7, 2009, notification from Treasury of dropping request to Justice Department on SIGTARP

Sept. 2, 2009, letter from Special Inspector General to Sen. Grassley

June 22, 2009, questions and answers between Sen. Grassley and George Madison, Treasury general counsel nominee

July 23, 2009, questions and answers between Sen. Grassley and George Madison, Treasury general counsel nominee

July 31, 2009, questions and answers between Sen. Grassley and George Madison, Treasury general counsel nominee

Aug. 5, 2009, questions and answers between Sen. Grassley and George Madison, Treasury general counsel nominee