Three Gulf Coast Republicans have asked the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency to evaluate the role of the Interior Department's top watchdog in a 2010 report that incorrectly stated scientists' support for a drilling moratorium.

Sens. David Vitter (La.), Jeff Sessions (Ala.) and John Cornyn (Texas) formally requested the investigation in a letter today to Kevin Perkins, the chairman on the council's Integrity Committee. In it, they accuse Interior acting IG Mary Kendall of failing to "ensure an independent, impartial and complete investigation into the Administration's offshore drilling moratorium and related activities."

The letter comes two days after House Natural Resources Chairman Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) accused Kendall of helping draft the report. It was just the latest development in the Natural Resources panel's probe into whether officials purposely altered the 2010 report to buttress Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's drilling moratorium.

Kendall has defended her impartiality, saying that although she attended information-collecting sessions, she did not offer suggestions or help write the report (Greenwire, May 23).

Kendall later investigated the report, after a request from Vitter. Her office found no conclusive evidence that Interior officials intentionally doctored the document.

But in the recent letter, Vitter, Sessions and Cornyn allege that that report "appears to not be the results of a complete and impartial investigation." They also point to Hastings' allegation that Interior is withholding documents related to the drafting and editing of the report and the IG's subsequent investigation.

"We would ask that your committee's investigation into this matter evaluate each and every edit suggested by Ms. Kendall for potential impropriety and lack of impartiality on her part," they wrote, later adding: "Ms. Kendall's failure to recuse herself from the OIG investigation into the 30-Day Report -- a report that she was involved in and attended meetings with the same political appointees whose actions were later subject of the investigation she oversaw -- is perplexing, and we would ask that this also be included in the IC's review of this matter."

The lawmakers ask the council to meet within 30 days to discuss the issue.