Oversight Chairman Issa Asks Interior Secretary Salazar to Explain Illegal Camping in McPherson Square and Justify Destruction of Stimulus-Funded Upgrades

Seeks Answers on White House Involvement in Decision-Making that Damaged Much of $400,000 in repairs


(WASHINGTON)—McPherson Square in Washington, D.C., received more than $400,000 in upgrades as part of President Obama's stimulus program including replanting grass and landscaping—much of which was damaged or destroyed when the Department of Interior (DOI) permitted illegal camping in the park for the recent "Occupy" protests.

Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) has written to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar asking him to explain a series of agency decisions that allowed protestors to stay in tents at the park for extended periods of time despite a ban on "camping." The letter also asked Secretary Salazar to document any communications between DOI and the White House regarding the Occupy protests in McPherson Square.

"As part of the stimulus, the Department of Interior awarded more than $400,000 to...rehabilitate McPherson Square in Northwest Washington...that included new grass, concrete curbs, refurbished benches, new light poles, water fountains, new paint, new chain fencing, 12 new trash cans and new light meters. While the merits of this stimulus funding are debatable, we can all agree that once the federal government invested the funds, no government agency should have allowed it to be damaged or destroyed when it legally could have been prevented," Issa wrote.

Issa also pointed out that NPS did not stop protestors from camping, an activity that was clearly documented in numerous reports about the event. He noted that NPS even circulated a flyer citing the relevant code section, indicating that "camping is not permitted." When questioned about the distinction, an NPS spokeswoman attempted to differentiate camping from what she termed a "24 hour vigil." Issa asked Secretary Salazar to address these questions as part of 16 submitted in the December 12 letter.

"This situation raises questions about why those decisions were made, who participated in making them, and whether political judgments played a role in not enforcing the law," Issa added. The rehabilitation work was completed in Spring 2011.
A link to the letter is here.

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