Senator: Probe of Secret Service Prostitution Scandal Raises Doubts about IG’s Independence

A Republican senator is raising questions about whether there was “improper contact” between the former general counsel and the acting inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security in its review of the Secret Service’s 2012 prostitution scandal.

Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, ranking Republican on the Senate Homeland Security subcommittee on contracting oversight, said at a hearing last week that “troubling aspects” of the review conducted by Homeland Security’s acting Inspector General Charles Edwards have led to questions about the IG’s independence.

Government sources familiar with a bipartisan investigation of Mr. Edwards conducted by Mr. Johnson and Sen. Claire McCaskill, Missouri Democrat and chairwoman of the subcommittee, say that Ms. McCaskill is steering clear of the matter, and that the Obama administration refuses to cooperate with the probe.

Mr. Johnson’s remarks came during a confirmation hearing for a nominee to replace John Sandweg, former general counsel at Homeland Security and a close ally of former Secretary Janet A. Napolitano, who appointed Mr. Sandweg as acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement this summer.

“I’m concerned because I think we’ve seen what I would believe is improper contact between the inspector general and the general counsel’s office of Homeland Security,” Mr. Johnson said. “I’m trying to figure out what that wall of separation really ought to be to maintain the independence of the inspector general.”

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