The Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is calling on President Joe Biden to address a significant gap in federal government oversight by filling 100 open positions in ethics and inspector general roles before his term concludes. In a series of statements, CREW highlighted how these roles are essential for preserving public trust and accountability within the government.
Taking to social media platform X over the weekend, CREW emphasized the president’s unique opportunity to bolster government integrity and “safeguard” American democracy by addressing these vacancies. “Fill the vacant Inspector General positions within the executive branch as well as the vacancies in key ethics roles throughout the government,” CREW stated, underlining the crucial importance of these roles.
According to CREW’s website, at least 14 of these vacancies are specifically for inspectors general (IGs), the officials responsible for providing independent oversight of federal agencies. These roles are designed to investigate internal wrongdoing, prevent misuse of taxpayer funds, and strengthen the accountability of government operations.
“At a time when public trust in the government is low, IGs play a critical role in ensuring the integrity of our government,” CREW wrote in their online statement. The post further cited a recent high-profile case where an inspector general uncovered misconduct, which they say exemplifies the importance of filling these roles. “This was vividly illustrated in 2022 when the Architect of the Capitol IG released a report detailing former Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton’s abuse of authority and misuse of taxpayer funds, leading President Biden to rightfully remove Blanton from his position,” the group added.
The unfilled inspector general positions have prompted a range of responses from political and legal commentators. Among them is Eric Lisann, a former federal and state prosecutor, who pointed to CREW’s statements as evidence of what he sees as a shortfall in Biden’s approach to government reform. Lisann argued that the president’s delay in filling these roles has enabled potential misconduct to go unchallenged and may have had lasting implications.
“Biden has been reckless or grossly negligent in letting Trump’s scandal-ridden IGs remain as if nothing happened, in not timely filling vacancies, and not encouraging the new IGs to examine investigations dropped when Trump fired IGs. Biden gave the impression of being afraid to clean up government corruption,” Lisann said, expressing frustration over the administration’s approach to inspector general appointments.
He continued, “These were high-level vacancies Biden never filled, all while allowing Trump holdovers to remain in similar positions. He showed the seeds of his own demise.” This pointed criticism from Lisann highlights an ongoing debate around Biden’s handling of ethics and oversight appointments, especially in light of the pressing need to restore public trust in government institutions.
CREW’s appeal to the administration reflects concerns that many in the public sector share about the future of government accountability. With approximately two months remaining in Biden’s current term, the organization sees this as a critical window for the president to make significant strides in reinforcing oversight and restoring transparency. According to CREW, filling these roles not only serves to prevent corruption but is essential to demonstrating that the administration values accountability.
For the Biden administration, these vacancies represent both a challenge and an opportunity. With each unfilled position, there remains a possibility that lapses in oversight could occur within federal agencies, potentially undermining Biden’s stated commitment to government reform and transparency. However, by filling these roles with qualified individuals, the administration could set a strong precedent for future presidencies regarding the importance of ethics and oversight positions.
CREW’s public statements are part of a broader push among ethics advocates for a more robust approach to governmental accountability. Whether Biden will heed this call remains to be seen, but the organization’s campaign has sparked renewed discussions around the responsibilities and potential legacy of the current administration.
As the clock ticks down on Biden’s current term, he has the chance to appoint both judges and board members to shore up governmental oversight. If CREW’s message resonates with the administration, Biden could leave office having made a lasting impact on the integrity of federal institutions.
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