Today, the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission -- the bipartisan panel examining the causes of the financial crisis that plunged the country into recession --
“„In May, the commission’s executive director was moved aside and succeeded by an economist from the Fed, a decision that drew criticism since the central bank is an object of the investigation because of its leading role in handling the crisis. In addition, five of the commission’s 14 senior staff members have resigned, including Matt Cooper, a journalist who was drafting the report.
“„Moreover, the commission’s chairman, Phil Angelides, and vice chairman, Bill Thomas, are finding it challenging to maintain support from all eight other commissioners. While squabbling within the panel has not broken into open dissent, several commissioners are divided over how much to blame specific individuals and banks, how and when to release the documents it has gathered and whether to make available testimony of government officials and bank executives it has interviewed privately.
“„In a joint interview by phone on Tuesday, Mr. Angelides, a Democrat, and Mr. Thomas, a Republican, said that the turnover’s effects had been exaggerated and that they were optimistic about a consensus.
“„“We’re doing our very best, and we will do our level best,” said Mr. Angelides. He said he had spoken recently with Thomas H. Kean, the former New Jersey governor who led the 9/11 Commission, which produced an acclaimed report that was a surprise best seller. “Several weeks out, they doubted whether they would get any kind of agreement on anything,” Mr. Angelides said.