Sen. Grassley Asks Red Cross for Ombuds Data Related to Haiti Quake Relief

In a letter to the American Red Cross earlier this week, Senator Charles Grassley, as Chair of the Committee on the Judiciary, demanded an explanation of how the organization spent nearly half a billion dollars raised after the 2010 Haiti earthquake. 


Grassley, who sponsored legislation in 2007 that created the Corporate Ombudsman office as part of an governance overhaul, said he had reason to doubt the Red Cross's recent assurances of improved inefficiencies and reduced waste, fraud and abuse within the organization. Grassley is seeking answers and documents in response to a list of 17 questions, including this on regarding the Ombuds:

16. Aside from whistleblowers and employees, what types of complaints were raised by other internal and external constituents? What steps has the Ombdsman taken to provide workable solutions to the problems raised by complaints?

The letter was send on Grassley's letterhead (Grassley Letter, via Truthout.)

Apparently, the senator still doesn't understand how an Organizational Ombuds office works.  It's not the job of an Ombuds to "provide workable solutions to problems raised by complaints."

Related posts: CDC Ombuds Become Focus of Sen. Grassley's Ire; Congress Shuts Down CDC Ombuds Office; Sen. Grassley Endorses Red Cross Ombuds; Chronicle of Philanthropy and Sen. Grassley Apparently Misunderstand the Red Cross Ombuds Program; Additional Info Clarifies Chronicle of Philanthropy Article About Red Cross Ombuds.