Smithsonian Head Replaced Amid Criticism

[babylonsister]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/26/AR2007032600643.html

Smithsonian Head Replaced Amid Criticism

By Jacqueline Trescott and James V. Grimaldi
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, March 26, 2007; 3:44 PM

Lawrence M. Small, the banker who took over the Smithsonian Institution seven years ago, resigned under pressure, museum officials announced today.

Cristian Samper, a biologist who heads the National Museum of Natural History, was named acting secretary, according to an announcement by Roger Sant, head of the Smithsonian's executive committee.

Small's management of the Smithsonian has been sharply criticized by members of Congress, and his compensation and spending practices have been subjected to scrutiny by the Smithsonian's inspector general. Last week, two separate committees were appointed to look into management operations at the museum complex, which includes 18 museums and research facilities as well as the National Zoo.

Small submitted his resignation on Saturday. The regents met on Sunday and accepted it.

"There were some regrets" among the regents, Sant said, "but we had to weigh that against the contrary current feeling among some in the community about Secretary Small. . . . It would be hard to ignore those when things were swirling around you."

snip//

Small's spending has been the subject of intense public scrutiny after The Washington Post published details last month from a confidential inspector general's report examining his $2 million in housing and office expenses during the past six years.

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[Bukowski Fan]

1. About friggin time!!

As a Washingtonian, and frequent patron of the Smithsonian, "don't let the door hit ya where the Lord split ya!"

This guy was really something else, and really flew under the radar all things considered. It wasn't until he proposed charging money for admission to the Smithsonian that people began to suspect malfeasance.

Good Riddance!