Art of the Watchdog

Daniel L. Feldman is Associate Professor of Public Management at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York and coauthor (with Gerald Benjamin) of Tales from the Sausage Factory: Making Laws in New York State, also published by SUNY Press. David R. Eichenthal is a Director with Public Financial Management, Inc. and Senior Research Fellow at the New York University School of Law, Center for Research in Crime and Justice.

"What makes this book valuable is its in-depth analysis, complete with true stories, of legislative and executive oversight efforts." — Political Science Quarterly"The Art of the Watchdog … ought to be required reading for any government executive. It's a timely reminder of the necessity for holding appointed and elected officials accountable." — New York Times"In The Art of the Watchdog, Feldman and Eichenthal offer a comprehensive overview of the world of oversight from the perspective of two authors who have been around the block a time or two. If you want to understand the different forms of watchdogs and how they both succeed and fail, there is no better resource available." — Neil M. Barofsky, author of Bailout: How Washington Abandoned Main Street While Rescuing Wall Street"This is simply the best book written on the government watchdog function. It smartly explains how a persistent, gutsy, and empirical watchdog can be a tugboat moving supertankers." — Mark J. Green, former New York City Public Advocate and author of Who Runs Congress?"Who really watches out for abuses and waste in government? Often it is committed public servants who understand that oversight is part of doing the people's business. Feldman and Eichenthal show how effective watchdogs can lead to better government performance and improved public confidence." — Tom Griscom, former White House Communications Director in the Reagan administration

• Acknowledgments1. The Watchdog2. What is Oversight?3. Tools of the Watchdog4. Limitations on Oversight5. Congressional Oversight6. Government Accountability Office7. The Federal Inspector General System at Thirty-Five8. State Legislative Oversight9. State Inspectors General10. Other Elected and Appointed State Officials—Comptrollers, Auditors, and Attorneys General11. Local Legislative Oversight12. Local Auditors and Inspectors General13. Other Elected and Appointed Local Officials14. The Role of the Press15. The Role of Public Interest and Other Non-Government Oversight Organizations16. ConclusionSourcesName IndexSubject Index