GAO Comptroller General Quits

Tuesday, February 19, 2008 4:27 PM

David M. Walker, Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), has announced his resignation in order to accept the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of the newly established Peter G. Peterson Foundation.

"As comptroller general of the United States," says David Walker, also a leader of The Concord Coalition's Fiscal Wake-Up Tour and star of the recently debuted documentary I.O.U.S.A., "there are real limitations on what I can do and say in connection with key public policy issues, especially issues that directly relate to GAO's client - the Congress."

As head of the Peterson Foundation, Walker will have "the ability and resources to more aggressively address a range of current and emerging challenges facing our country, including advocating specific policy solutions and courses of action." Chief among Walker's duties at the Peterson Foundation will be the funding and advocating of projects that will enhance public awareness of fiscal imbalance, entitlement programs and health care.

"The foundation is also going to end up funding other related efforts," Walker told the Federal News Network in and interview, "designed to get the message out to millions of Americas ... because they need to know more in order to make more informed choices at the ballot box."


A feature-length documentary entitled I.O.U.S.A. featuring Mr. Walker debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah on Jan. 19th, 2008. The film documents Walker's efforts to educate the public on the fiscal issues challenging the country and also boldly examines the rapidly growing national debt and its consequences for the United States and its citizens.

I.O.U.S.A., from Agora Entertainment, also features interviews with a stunning selection of financial experts -- including legendary investor Warren Buffett, former Treasury secretaries Robert Rubin and Paul O'Neill, Congressman Ron Paul and noted economist Alice Rivlin. The film was directed by Patrick Creadon (Wordplay) and was inspired by the bestselling book "Empire of Debt," by Addison Wiggin and Bill Bonner.

http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/Walk ... 73880.html