I guess you could say these hearings aren't going to well for Howard "Cookie" Krongard. Anytime the morning's questions lead you to recuse yourself from investigations you're currently accused of blocking or whitewashing, that just can't be good.

In case you're joining the programming late, Howard "Cookie" Krongard is the Inspector General at the State Department, the guy charged with investigating fraud, waste or wrongdoing at the department or by contractors working for the department. But he seems to have spent his time blocking or hobbling investigations into big money military contracting outfits like Blackwater, Dyncorp and others.

Cookie's brother (small world) was #3 at CIA. And at the committee hearing this morning it emerged that "Buzzy" Krongard is on Blackwater's advisory board.

No word yet on the Krongard family's aversion to normal names.