WASHINGTON ( CNN ) -- Key members of Congress from both parties want NASA 's internal watchdog fired , arguing he ca n't be trusted to oversee the $ 1 billion in additional money the space agency is getting under the Obama administration 's economic stimulus package . Lawmakers say NASA 's inspector general can not be trusted and must go . Government reports dating back to 2006 have accused NASA Inspector General Robert `` Moose '' Cobb of ineffectiveness , of profanely berating employees and being too close to the agency 's leadership . Calls for his ouster have intensified in the past month , since NASA is getting additional stimulus money for space exploration , research , and aeronautics . `` Apparently , Mr. Cobb thought he was supposed to be the lap dog , rather than the watchdog , of NASA , '' Rep. Bart Gordon , D-Tennessee , told CNN . Gordon , chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology , has asked President Obama to remove Cobb . In a letter co-authored by Rep. Brad Miller , D-North Carolina , who leads the House Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight , the lawmakers argue that `` NASA can not afford another four years with an ineffective inspector general . '' Watch NASA watchdog under fire » . `` It 's incredibly ironic for members of Congress who have scolded the inspector general for lousy oversight to dump a billion dollars into the agency , '' said Pete Sepp , vice president of the National Taxpayers Union , a nonprofit , nonpartisan watchdog group that monitors government spending . `` The first thing you do when you 're digging a hole is to stop digging . Congress does n't seem to get that message . '' Cobb declined two requests from CNN to respond to the complaints . In December 2008 , the Government Accountability Office released a report that criticized how Cobb was running the inspector general 's office . The GAO , the investigative arm of Congress , `` found that Mr. Cobb is one of the least productive IGs in the federal government , '' Gordon and Miller wrote . `` His monetary accomplishments reflect a return of just 36 cents for every dollar budgeted for his office . This compares with an average of $ 9.49 returned for every dollar spent on other IGs ' offices . The main reason for this failure is that NASA 's audit operation is not working . '' Gordon told CNN that Cobb 's `` own peers said he was n't doing his job , that he did n't understand the audit process and that he was not carrying out the investigation process . As a matter of fact , he was slowing it down , or even stopping it . '' And Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley , the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee , agreed that Cobb must be replaced . `` Inspectors general are the first line of defense against the waste of taxpayers ' money , '' Grassley told CNN . `` And , if he 's not doing his job , and you stick another billion dollars into it , then you just know there 's another billion dollars that there could be a lot of waste of it . '' A 2006 investigation by a presidential integrity council found Cobb `` engaged in abuse of authority '' and had a `` close relationship '' with former NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe that `` compromised '' his independence . The two played golf together and took official trips together on NASA aircraft . Read investigative integrity report ( Warning : Report contains explicit language ) The committee also found that Cobb `` engaged in an abuse of authority '' through his `` habitual use of profanity , '' and recommended disciplinary action `` up to and including removal , '' Gordon and Miller wrote . Cobb defended himself at a 2007 congressional hearing , arguing that he had upheld his oath of office . `` At NASA , I have taken the responsibilities of office under the Inspector General Act seriously and without compromise to root out and prevent fraud , waste and abuse , and to promote the economy and efficiency of the agency , '' he said . `` I 've worked with NASA management in the manner contemplated by the Inspector General Act . '' But former staffers told the committee that Cobb created a disturbing work environment . `` One of my early experiences with Mr. Cobb was so disturbing that I considered leaving the OIG almost immediately afterwards , '' said Debra Herzog , former deputy assistant inspector-general for investigations . `` At a scheduled weekly meeting , Mr. Cobb , in front of his deputy and my supervisor , berated me concerning a word in a letter . In an ensuing monologue , loudly peppered with profanities , Mr. Cobb insulted and ridiculed me , '' Herzog recounted . Lance Carrington , the former assistant inspector general for investigations , told the panel that `` in many investigative cases , Mr. Cobb appeared to have a lack of independence when NASA officials were subjects , or if arrest/search warrants were obtained for NASA facilities . Mr. Cobb would question every aspect of the cases and gave the appearance he wanted to derail them before agents were given adequate time to investigate the allegations . '' Gordon told CNN it 's time for Cobb to go . `` President Obama needs to replace Mr. Cobb as quickly as possible with someone who can do the job , '' he said .
Lawmakers say NASA watchdog ca n't be trusted to oversee $ 1B in stimulus funds . Government reports say NASA inspector general is too closely tied to the agency . IG Robert Cobb `` thought he was supposed to be the lap dog , '' congressman says . Cobb declined two requests to speak with CNN for this report .