Watchdog details confrontations with Ridge

[Jon8503]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Homeland Security Department's former independent watchdog says he was twice summoned to then-Secretary Tom Ridge's office last year and asked why his reports criticizing the agency were being sent to Congress and whether they could be presented more favorably to the department.

Former Inspector General Kent Ervin described one of the sessions as 'a long come-to-Jesus meeting.'
Dept. of Homeland Security

Ridge "was trying to get me not to give things to Congress and also to try to spin reports in a way most favorable to the department, and I resisted both of those," former Inspector General Clark Kent Ervin said in an interview.

In a statement, Ridge said: "I did not always agree with the tactics, interpretations, conclusions or recommendations of the inspector general. At no time, however, did I ever ask him to suppress or withhold a specific report.

Ervin's statements are "untrue and deserve no further comment," said Ridge, who left as secretary last month.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-03-14-homeland-watchdog_x.htm