IEC Journal

Fine Line Between Official and Political Speech

Government Executive reports on the legal issues involved with executive-branch officials speaking at campaign events.

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Seeks Adviser in Anti-Corruption Office

The job opening can be found at the following link:

https://inspira.un.org/psc/UNCAREERS/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/UN_CUSTOMIZATIONS.UN_JOB_DETAIL.GBL?Page=UN_JOB_DETAIL&Action=A&SiteId=1&JobOpeningId=25060&PostingSeq=1

 

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Helicopter Used for Dance Invitation

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officials are investigating claims that one of its helicopters was used to help a teenager invite a girl to homecoming. 

While on a routine mission over northern Virginia last Wednesday, a CBP helicopter was allegedly used by a Department of Homeland Security employee to fly over his son’s high school and drop a stuffed animal with the invitation, NBCWashington.com reported.

Contractor Suspensions and Debarments on Rise

Government Executive reports that suspensions and debarments of companies that violate federal contracting rules have increased across the government over the past three years, rising from just over 1,900 in fiscal 2009 to more than 3,000 in 2011, according to a new report. T

he report, from a coordinating body called the Interagency Suspension and Debarment Committee, follows up on a November 2011 memorandum from then-Office of Management and Budget director Jack Lew directing 24 departments and agencies to step up efforts to combat waste, fraud and abuse, in part by appointing a senior official to be accountable for progress.

More Hatch Act in the News

http://www.federaltimes.com/article/20120912/AGENCY04/309120003/HHS-Secretary-Sebelius-found-violation-Hatch-Act?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

http://www.federalnewsradio.com/454/3034554/OSC-HHSs-Sebelius-at-odds-over-Hatch-Act-violation

 

Full Opinion of Temporary Injunction of Section 11, STOCK Act

For those interested in reading the full opinion from the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, Southern Division, regarding the temporary injunction against implementing Section 11 of the STOCK Act, the link is below.

http://www.lawfareblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/SEA-26-Memorandum-Opinion.pdf

 

Federal District Court Issues Temporary Injunction Against Section 11 of STOCK Act

On September 13, 2012, the Federal District Court for the District of Maryland Southern Division issued a temporary injunction against implementing section 11 of the STOCK Act until October 31, 2012. The Office of Government Ethics will provide an update by close of business September 14, 2012.

OSC Finds HHS Chief Violated Hatch Act

Government Executive reports the Office of Special Counsel found that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius violated a law limiting political activity in the federal workplace when she made off-the-cuff remarks at an official event in February.

OSC-- responsible for enforcing the Hatch Act -- found Sebelius guilty of making “extemporaneous partisan remarks” when delivering the keynote speech in her official capacity at the Human Rights Campaign Gala in North Carolina. 

At the event, Sebelius endorsed the Democratic candidate for governor in North Carolina, Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton. She also told the audience it was “hugely important to make sure that we reelect the president.”

FAA Employee Under Investigation for Possible Hatch Act Violation

Government Executive reports that a senior Federal Aviation Administration official is under investigation for possible violations of the Hatch Act after comments he made at a town hall meeting in Seattle were submitted by a watchdog group to the Office of Special Counsel.

John J. Hickey, FAA’s deputy associate administrator for aviation safety, may have violated the law in May, when he remarked on possible budget scenarios based on the outcomes of the November election.  Some attendees of the meeting have stated his remarks could be construed as political pressure.

Ethics Attorney Opening at DHS

The Ethics Division, Office of General Counsel, Department of Homeland Security, has announced a vacancy for an experienced ethics attorney to work exclusively with one of the Department’s component offices. The National Protection and Programs Directorate is responsible for risk-reduction encompassing physical and virtual threats. To learn more about the NPPD mission, see

http://www.dhs.gov/about-national-protection-and-programs-directorate

The vacancy announcement may be accessed at  https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/324593100

 

Handouts for September 6 IEC Meeting with Speaker, Erica Dornburg

The handouts for the upcoming presentation at tomorrow's IEC meeting are below:



http://www.oge.gov/Program-Management/Program-Review/Program-Review-Guidelines/

http://www.oge.gov/Program-Management/Program-Review/Program-Review-Resources/Tips-on-Preparing-for-a-Program-Reviw/

http://www.oge.gov/Program-Management/Program-Review/Materials-Required-Prior-to-Ethics-Program-Review-(PDF)/

Remember to pre-register with Ms. Danielle Barrett if you are not a regular IEC meeting attendee!  Her contact info can be found on the Reminder post for the Sept. 6 meeting.

House Ethics Committee Extends Investigation of New Jersey Congressman

The House Ethics Committee announced Friday that it will take more time to review allegations that a congressman representing New Jersey misused campaign funds by spending them on personal expenses, including a family trip to Scotland and a high school graduation party for his daughter.

The committee also released a detailed report on the practices of Democratic U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews that it received in March from the Office of Congressional Ethics. That report found there is “substantial reason to believe” that Andrews inappropriately used campaign funds to take his family to Scotland for a wedding, to make multiple trips to California and for a party held in honor of the high school graduation of one of his daughters and the 20th anniversary of his congressional service.  All were in 2011.

As it released the report, the Ethics Committee said it does not indicate that there was a violation.