Report: NASA inspector quashed news of ring stolen from Columbia astronaut's body

KTRK has an odd story this morning: According to the station, an investigation into NASA Inspector General Robert Cobb has found that Cobb quashed the release of a Crime Stoppers report on a ring allegedly taken from the finger of one of the astronauts killed in the space shuttle Columbia disaster. Cobb has been under fire for other findings in the report from the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency, which has been investigating complaints against him dating back to 2005, but the ring incident is by far one of the strangest.

According to Channel 13, the Crime Stoppers report concerned a ring that was reportedly found on, and stolen from, the remains of Mission Specialist Laurel Clark after Columbia disintegrated during re-entry on Feb. 1, 2003. The Texas Rangers investigated and Clark's husband asked for the public's help in finding the ring, but that didn't sit well with Cobb, who reportedly "went ballistic" when he saw the report. "How can you even think of allowing this to go out?" a witness quoted Cobb as saying. "I am going to have to resign if this report gets out." The Texas Ranger involved in the ring investigation said he believed NASA wanted the incident kept quiet because it could lead to questions about the overall investigation into the Columbia disaster, KTRK reports.

The government investigation of Cobb began after several complaints that he was abusive to his employees, that he ignored or shut down critical investigations and that he retaliated against whistle-blowers at NASA. Two lawmakers, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.), have called on President George W. Bush to remove Cobb from his post, saying he "must be removed for the good of NASA and the nation."