Department of Energy breaks the Law
The Department of Energy, (DOE)
stands accused of breaking whistleblower laws, obstruction of justice
laws, and also laws covering an employees right to provide evidence to
congress. Employees who spoke to investigators were fired, suspended,
or sanctioned.
The BPA was ordered by Pesident Obama (The president ordered all government hiring to comply) to use a category rating hiring approach. They refused the president's order according to an investigation by the Inspector General. This disadvantaged veterans and others.
The BPA (Bonneville Power Administration) had originally been under investigation for violating hiring practices and how it pertained to disadvantaged veterans. Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman instructed his pick for acting administrator of BPA, Elliot Mainzer; that no one was permitted to speak to anyone about the scandal, not even federal investigators and he was to notify all of his employees of the order.
Some people violated the order and were immediately punished from censorship to firing. Darrell Issa pointed out that the behavior displayed by the DOE constituted illegal acts. Those who did speak to investigators could have been charged with obstruction of justice, had they not cooperated.
“Obstructing a congressional investigation is a crime. Additionally, denying or interfering with employees’ rights to furnish information to Congress is against the law.” Issa said.
Stephen Kohn, executive director of the National Whistleblower Center agrees with this sentiment, “It is highly illegal for any federal agency to attempt to prevent employees or contractors from communicating whistleblower concerns with Members of Congress or an Inspector General. If true, this conduct by government officials would be intolerable.”
The BPA was ordered by Pesident Obama (The president ordered all government hiring to comply) to use a category rating hiring approach. They refused the president's order according to an investigation by the Inspector General. This disadvantaged veterans and others.
The BPA (Bonneville Power Administration) had originally been under investigation for violating hiring practices and how it pertained to disadvantaged veterans. Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman instructed his pick for acting administrator of BPA, Elliot Mainzer; that no one was permitted to speak to anyone about the scandal, not even federal investigators and he was to notify all of his employees of the order.
Some people violated the order and were immediately punished from censorship to firing. Darrell Issa pointed out that the behavior displayed by the DOE constituted illegal acts. Those who did speak to investigators could have been charged with obstruction of justice, had they not cooperated.
“Obstructing a congressional investigation is a crime. Additionally, denying or interfering with employees’ rights to furnish information to Congress is against the law.” Issa said.
Stephen Kohn, executive director of the National Whistleblower Center agrees with this sentiment, “It is highly illegal for any federal agency to attempt to prevent employees or contractors from communicating whistleblower concerns with Members of Congress or an Inspector General. If true, this conduct by government officials would be intolerable.”
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