The California state legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom both agree that the bullet train project needs new eyes. So, they’ve created a new position - Inspector General - to oversee the high speed railway.
This project, which has been in the works for nearly 14 years, has faced a lot of disorganization. Before, it was not uncommon for many different outside agencies to provide their own recommendations for the railway. The hope -- with this new position -- is to create a singular and centralized body through which to assess the project.
The Inspector General's office will employ a full staff and has the authority to go through past records, issue subpoenas, review contracts and change orders. They will also be working closely with law enforcement and prosecutors to investigate any waste, fraud, and abuse that may have occurred during the course of the project.
For the chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee, Laura Friedman, "you can't have enough oversight on a project like this.”
