June 11 (UPI) — Department of Homeland Security Acting Inspector General John V. Kelly announced his retirement Monday amid reports that he overrode audits showing problems with the agency’s response to natural disasters.
Kelly previously planned to retire after President Donald Trump selected an official nominee for the position, but on Monday informed the DHS’ Office of the Inspector General that he would step down early, according to a statement acquired by The Hill.
“I accelerated my retirement because I feel it’s in the best interest of the organization and its employees,” Kelly said.
Deputy Inspector General Jennifer Costello will take on the role of acting inspector general following Kelly’s departure.
Kelly’s retirement comes after a Washington Post report last week that stated an internal review found he directed his staff to produce “feel-good reports” that didn’t include problems with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s response to a number of disasters.
The review found that Kelly directed his staff to produce these reports over a span of five years for disasters including Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and flooding in Louisiana in 2016.
Kelly sent his staff an apology email after the review was made public last month.
“I take responsibility for failing to set a tone that all of our products need to be fully objective,” he wrote.
