Reshaping Government: Possibilities and Perils.
"The Firings of Inspectors General, the Demise of Independent and Nonpartisan Government Oversight, and the Unprecedented Attacks on the Federal Workforce"
Guest speaker:
Michael Missal, Former Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs, former partner and management committee member of K&L Gates, and current partner of IG Partners.
Welcome remarks:
Mark Nordenberg, Chancellor Emeritus, Chair of the Institute of Politics, Director of the Dick Thornburgh Forum for Law and Public Policy.
March 3, 2026 | 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. | University Club - Ballroom B (123 University Pl. Pgh, PA 15213)
If you have registered to join us virtually, please use the link below:
https://pitt.zoom.us/j/93477903673
Inspectors General have conducted independent and nonpartisan government oversight for almost 50 years. They fight fraud, waste, and abuse, and promote the efficiency and effectiveness of government programs. In a typical year, they save taxpayers about $100 billion.
Building on his already-distinguished career in government service and the practice of law, Michael Missal began serving as the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2016. He will discuss the history of Inspectors General, their roles and responsibilities (including assisting Congress in its oversight of the Executive Branch), the great impact they have had for our government, and how they promote accountability and transparency.
On January 24, 2025, the Administration fired 17 Inspectors General, without giving the required notice to Congress. Mike was one of the IGs fired that day. This administration also has conducted unprecedented attacks on other areas of government oversight, as well as the entire federal workforce. Mike will examine the potential consequences of these actions and what can be done to rebuild these critical functions.
More about our speaker:
Michael Missal served as the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs from May 2, 2016 until January 24, 2025. VA is the second largest federal agency with an annual budget of over $400 billion, about 400,000 employees, and the largest integrated healthcare system in the United States. In that role, Mike led a staff of about 1,200 conducting criminal investigations, audits, and healthcare inspections of VA. Prior to that, he was a partner at the global law firm, K&L Gates, where he served on the Management Committee and headed the firm's regulatory practices. Mike previously served as a senior counsel in the Division of Enforcement of the Securities and Exchange Commission and was a staff assistant to President Jimmy Carter. Mike is currently a partner of IG Partners, a boutique law and advisory firm.
This program is sponsored by the Dick Thornburgh Forum for Law & Public Policy at the Institute of Politics
Co-sponsored by: Pitt Cyber, Pitt Law, David C. Frederick Honors College
The Dick Thornburgh Forum is grateful to the Richard King Mellon Foundation for its generous support of the Forum's Governance programming.
