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23
IG Michael Horowitz ’84 and Bob Woodward talk truth, transparency, and lunchroom etiquette
November 23, 2021 | Leave a Comment
As part of the Brandeis Alumni Weekend in June 2021, Inspector General at the Department of Justice Michael Horowitz ’84 and eminent Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward took part in a Zoom forum entitled Transparency, Oversight, and Accountability in the Post-Watergate Era: What Does the Truth Accomplish?
Moderated by Professor Maura Jane Farrelly, American Studies, there was a lively debate about the importance of transparency and truth in both journalism and federal government. In answer to a question from Farrelly, asking if the media was at fault for repeating and perhaps therefore perpetuating deception from figures of authority, Woodward called the suppression of false information, which he stated was censorship, “absurd.” Horowitz concurred, saying that he and his team, rather than label witnesses as ‘liars,’ preferred to meticulously gather and present both the facts and any fiction during their investigations, then encourage the reader to discern the truth.
Economics graduate summa cum laude Horowitz joked that he can “clear the lunchroom” when he goes for a sandwich at work, but noted that the same people who avoid him often knock on his door when they need to confide in him as Inspector General.
The Fall 2021 issue of the Brandeis Magazine features a playful Q&A with Horowitz in which he also reminisces about his time as an undergraduate at Brandeis. He reveals how listening to the contrary views of fellow students in a respectful atmosphere, and from there taking part in thoughtful debate, are experiences he values even today.