Republicans: GAO should probe NPR's dismissal of Juan Williams

Notching up the controversy dogging National Public Radio in recent weeks, two influential House Republicans want the government to probe whether taxpayer money has covered costs related to firing news analyst Juan Williams.

Reps. Joe Barton (R-TX) and Michael Burgess (R-TX), senior members of the House Commerce Committee, urged the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to examine how NPR spends its money. One concern is whether the outlet spent federal funds in its controversial decision to dismiss Williams last month following remarks the analyst made about Muslims.

"Were any federally appropriated funds expended in the course of any internal deliberations, negotiations, or drafting tasks carried out pursuant to NPR's October 20 decision to terminate its contract with Williams?" the lawmakers ask. The dismissal "may reflect a tendency on the part of NPR management to use its ethics rules to silence employees," they said. NPR might be using the pretense of ethical standards for reasons other than "[preserving] any core ethical or editorial standards."