California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the appointment of Claudette Biemeret to be BART’s next Inspector General. Biemeret, currently the Assistant Inspector General of BART, has been appointed to a four-year term as the BART Inspector General.
“We, at BART, are grateful to the Governor for filling this vital position with a highly qualified professional so quickly,” said BART General Manager Bob Powers. “The Inspector General plays a very important role in maintaining the integrity of government through preventing and detecting fraud, waste, and abuse.”
The BART Inspector General plans, directs, and manages the independent oversight of all District activities and operations to ensure the effective use of resources and compliance with applicable federal and state laws. The Inspector General is empowered to conduct independent audits and investigations and to provide reports of findings to BART’s Board of Directors, the California State Legislature, and the public.
“The BART Board looks forward to a constructive and cooperative relationship with the incoming Inspector General,” said BART Board President Janice Li. “The Inspector General is crucial to ensuring that BART meets the highest standards of accountability, efficiency, and transparency.”
The position of Inspector General was created when Bay Area voters approved Regional Measure 3 in June 2018. The Board interviewed candidates earlier this year and submitted three names to the Governor for consideration.
“We look forward to Ms. Biemeret assuming the responsibilities of Inspector General,” said BART Board Director Bevan Dufty. “It is essential that we have independent oversight to help improve BART’s operations and ensure the effective use of public funds,” said Dufty.
March 7: Senator Glazer’s Statement on BART Inspector General Richardson’s Resignation
Harriet Richardson has been a stellar example of a public servant who works for the good of the people. The first-ever Inspector General for BART after the post was created in 2018, Harriet carried out her job with professionalism and an objective pursuit of the truth, no matter where it took her. She displayed tenacity and independence with an auditor’s green-eyeshade level of scrutiny, performing admirable work under adverse circumstances.
Richardson’s resignation Monday as Inspector General for BART came after nearly four years protecting the traveling public by holding BART accountable. She found tens of millions of dollars in fraud, conflict of interest and wasteful financial practices.
