Gerald Walpin was removed by President Obama last week as the inspector general for AmeriCorps and other service programs. His decision followed Walpin's investigation into the alleged misuse of federal grants by Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, a former NBA star and an Obama supporter, and the nonprofit education group he headed. 

An official responsible for monitoring how federal funds for volunteerism are spent told FOX News he was fired by President Obama for doing his job, and suggested it was payback for investigating the alleged misuse of grant money by the Sacramento mayor, an Obama backer.
Gerald Walpin, who until last week was the chief internal watchdog for AmericCorps and other service programs, suggested “political pressure” was behind his ouster. He said he worried the action will have a “chilling effect” on other inspectors general. 
Obama gave little explanation for the decision, writing in a letter sent Thursday that he no longer had the “fullest confidence” in Walpin. 
The president's decision followed Walpin's investigation into the alleged misuse of federal grants by Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, a former NBA star and an Obama supporter who heads a nonprofit education group. 
“I am the victim of being fired because I was doing my job and doing it properly,” Walpin told FOX News Tuesday. He said he could not let concern for “political pressure” interfere with his staff's pursuit of the investigation -- noting that it was his staff, not him personally, that pursued the inquiry.  He also defended the findings, saying AmeriCorps requested the investigation in the first place. 
Walpin said the probe revealed that Johnson “misused” AmeriCorps volunteers for “personal purposes,” by having them help in political campaigns and even wash his car. 
“They never disputed it whatsoever,” Walpin said. “And indeed the agency itself found that our statements were correct and our findings were correct.” 
Walpin, though, drew criticism elsewhere. After Walpin referred the matter to prosecutors in late 2008, the local U.S. attorney's office questioned Walpin's findings, saying they seemed overstated and did not accurately reflect all the information gathered.  Johnson's St. HOPE Academy released a statement last week after the firing, saying Walpin's allegations were “meritless” and not motivated by an “honest assessment” of the program. 
The U.S. attorney's office nevertheless reached a settlement, under which Johnson and the academy reportedly were ordered to repay about half of nearly $847,000 in federal grants they received through AmeriCorps. 
Walpin, though, said the agreement was signed “behind our back” and Johnson never was required to repay any money personally. 
With his firing, Walpin said he's worried about the “chilling effect” it will have on his staff as well as other inspectors general who are supposed to be free to investigate independently concerns surrounding the agencies to which they're assigned. 
He also raised concerns that Obama sidestepped a law he co-sponsored that requires the president to give 30 days notice, and a reason, for removing an IG. 
(Source: FoxNews)