Using Government Employees To Benefit Private Business
From the Boston Globe: Several US marshals and a lawyer for the federal agency violated ethics regulations by assigning deputy marshals to escort Fox Sports broadcasters to and from sporting events, including two games of the 2007 World Series in Boston, according to a report released yesterday by US Inspector General Glenn A. Fine. The IG report is available at the DOJ web site.
IT Department Blocking Access to IEC Journal?
One IEC member reports:
Another IEC member had the same problem a few years ago. Some unsophisticated automated screening software occasionally identifies the IEC Journal as inappropriate for use on government computers. Similar automated software could also erroneously erase IEC Journal RSS feed e-mail echoes as spam. If you draw either type of error to the attention of a human being in your organization's IT department, they will usually correct the mistake rapidly. If they don't, you should raise the problem to their supervisor.
Of course, IEC members who have been improperly blocked won't be able to read this message, so please draw this solution to the attention of any colleagues you know who have been having problems.
Kempthorne Reviews Interior Ethics Reforms
In his "last formal speech" as Secretary of the Interior, Dick Kempthorne reviewed ethics reforms during his tenure:
Kempthorne said he's installed a new ethics officer, has stressed the importance of recording discussions on potentially dicey matters in an ethics logbook, made an ethics DVD required viewing for new employees and fired employees involved in the worst of the transgressions.
"Without question, there have been a variety of issues concerning the integrity and activities of certain aspects of the Department," Kempthorne, Idaho's governor from 1999 to 2006 and Boise's mayor for eight years starting in 1985, told more than 200 people at a City Club speech.
"We have endeavored to create an atmosphere and culture of ethics in the department, which is critically important," he said. "I tell them, 'My mantra is, if in doubt, don't.'"
Qualifying the Latest Hatch Act Interpretation
Via Mark Stone, here are a couple of useful observations from Paul Davison about the OSC's recent Hatch Act interpretation previously reported here:
2. If an item which displays a picture of Senators Obama or McCain (or otherwise indicates support of them) also references a political party, such as the Democrats or Republicans, wear of that item still violates the Hatch Act. It is always a violation to wear or display an item supporting or opposing a political party.
Revised Slides for January Presentation
Here is a link to the revised version of the slides for the recent presentation by Peggy Love and Steve Csontos on the topic "Seeking Employment and Post Employment Obligations for Government Attorneys Entering the Private Sector":
Download Seeking-Post Employment for Attorneys- IEC Meeting 109 (2)
Most of the changes are minor, but note that Slide #37 entitled "Resources" references an OGE Advisory Opinion which has been changed. The link above incorporates the correction.
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