IEC Journal

New MS Windows Includes RSS Reader

As noted previously, RSS readers make it easier to keep up with information from web sites using this new technology, including this one. Many who haven't already adopted RSS will be interested to learn that the latest version of Microsoft's flagship browser, Internet Explorer 7, includes a built-in RSS reader. An MS Windows help page includes an explanation of RSS feeds and how to use them.

Based on limited testing, Microsoft's version does not appear to work as well as many of the alternatives available, but it has the major advantage of being included with software many agencies will be installing anyway.

Reminder: Meeting on Thursday

The next IEC meeting will be Thursday at 12:15. Ms. Ana Galindo-Marrone of OGE will speak on recent Hatch Act developments, including applicability to federal employees engaged in blogging, joining candidates’ websites, belonging to internet-based social networks, and/or emailing. Location and other details are in a previous post.

Senate Passes IG Reform Bill

Last week the Senate approved the Inspector General Reform Act of 2007, S 2324. The Washington Post's Government Inc. blog had some thoughts on the bill:

I'm not sure most people understand how close to the center of government IGs operate. They need robust support and plenty of room to dig deep on behalf of taxpayers.

Or, when it comes to contracting, we could allow the companies to police themselves, as some proponents of procurement reform have suggested.

The magic of the market, I think they call it.

HHS GC ethics attorney vacancy (GS 11-14)

Please see the attached announcement for an attorney for the HHS OGC ethics division, advice and financial disclosure branch.   Download recruitnewatty_adv_4_2008_ihs.pdf

Legal Ethics for Criminal Investigators

Though it deals more with what lawyers call criminal procedure than standards of conduct law, the Department of Justice memo on Legal Ethics for Criminal Investigators available through the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center could be useful to some ethics trainers.

DOJ Site Ethics Summaries

Even experienced ethics lawyers might find the brief, well-organized summaries of ethics rules at the Department of Justice web site valuable as an occasional good quick research tool.

Removal for Misuse of Official Records

IRS employee used official records for personal use and was removed.  http://www.fedsmith.com/articles/records/file/Albritton08-3075.pdf

Following Up on Rick Joyce Tech Privacy Presentation

The article mentioned by Rick Joyce, the April IEC speaker, "Liability for All, Privacy for None: The Conundrum of Protecting Privacy Rights in a Pervasively Electronic World," 41 Val. U. L. Rev. 1481 (Summer 2007) is not yet available at the Valapriso Law Review web site. Because the article is copyrighted, we won't reproduce it here, but note for those interested that it is available through Westlaw using the search term 41 VALULR 1481.

The Department of Justice Cybercrime.gov site has additional information available for understanding tech privacy issues, including the Electronic Search and Seizure and Prosecuting Computer Crimes manuals.

Hatch Act & E-mail, Blogs

Stephen Barr's Federal Diary column has an update on OSC's interpretation of the Hatch Act. OSC's new, harsher treatment of e-mail had been reported here previously. Blogging about politics from an office computer is an obvious no-no, but Barr points out that blogging from home can also cause problems:

Presidential campaign Web sites, for example, encourage supporters to create blogs on the site to advocate the candidate's positions. They also usually carry a link for campaign donations, and that can be trouble for a federal employee, even when using a home computer. The OSC may view the donate button as soliciting for political contributions, another no-no under the Hatch Act, and set off an investigation.

May 1st Meeting

The IEC is pleased to announce that the speaker at our Thursday, May 1st meeting will be Ms. Ana Galindo-Marrone, Chief of the Hatch Act Unit, Office of Special Counsel, whose presentation will be entitled, “The Hatch Act - Hot Topics for the 2008 Presidential Election Season.”  Ms. Galindo-Marrone, who began her employment at OSC in 1998, has headed the Hatch Act Unit since 2000. The Unit issues advisory opinions to federal, state and local officials nationwide and investigates and litigates Hatch Act cases.

The Hatch Act, of course, governs the political activity of executive branch employees of the federal government.  Employees covered by the Act are subject to certain protections and restrictions with respect to their political activity.  While it is always important for federal employees to know and understand their rights and responsibilities under the Act, it is particularly significant this year as the Presidential election season goes in to full swing, and employees become more politically active.  Ms. Galindo-Marrone’s presentation will discuss in detail the prohibited and permitted activities under the Hatch Act with special attention to the novel issues and trends in activity that OSC has seen during this and the last few election cycles.  For example, among other things, she will address the Hatch Act’s application to federal employees who are blogging, joining candidates’ websites, belonging to internet-based social networks, and/or emailing. 

Our May 1st meeting will take place from 12:15-1:30 in the OTS auditorium, 1700 G Street, N.W., the corner of 17th and G Streets.  Individuals who are on the IEC roster need not pre-register for this meeting.  Ethics officials who are not on our roster but who wish to attend our May meeting can pre-register by contacting Patrick Carney not later than Monday, April 28th. Those who are neither on the IEC roster nor pre-registered can still be admitted to our meeting site by showing a Government ID to OTS Security personnel and signing in.