Gerald Walpin, the AmeriCorps inspector general who sued after being fired by the Obama Administration last year, has lost a round in court, Politico reports.
Walpin, whose case has become a cause celebre in some conservative corners, sued several AmeriCorps officials alleging political interference in the IG system. The White House has maintained, with substantial evidence, that Walpin was axed for legitimate performance-related reasons.
Now, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Roberts has ruled that Walpin does not have the right to sue:
Roberts said a federal law passed in 2008 with Obama’s support, the Inspector General Reform Act, did not allow Walpin the right to sue over what he contends was an improper removal. The judge also said that the requirement in the statute that Obama give Congress his reasons for any such firing was too vague for the courts to assess whether Obama’s claim that he’d lost confidence in Walpin was sufficient.
But this may not be the end of “Walpin-gate.” In an interview with Politico, Walpin left the door open for an appeal.
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