GovernmentExecutive.com

General Services Administration chief Lurita Doan should "be disciplined to the fullest extent" for violating the law that limits political activity in agencies, the head of the independent agency investigating the matter said in a letter to President Bush Friday.

The four-page letter, released by the Office of Special Counsel late Monday, stated that Doan also should be punished for failing to cooperate fully and honestly with OSC's investigation.

Special Counsel Scott Bloch said in the letter that the investigation concluded Doan violated the Hatch Act's prohibition against using her authority to interfere with or affect an election through her role in a Jan. 26 meeting at GSA headquarters. After a presentation by White House official Scott Jennings, Doan allegedly asked a question about helping Republican candidates, though accounts of her exact wording vary.

The letter does not address whether the presentation itself, which included a 28-slide PowerPoint presentation that analyzed the results of the 2006 midterm election, was a violation. OSC is investigating this issue separately.

A White House spokeswoman said the administration had received the OSC report and will review it internally. She did not know how long that will take.

GSA issued a statement saying, "It would be inappropriate for the administrator to comment on an official letter from the Office of Special Counsel to the President of the United States."

"Mr. President, you have much to weigh in deciding what course of action to take," Bloch wrote. "On the one hand, you have Administrator Doan's list of achievements in office and a distinguished career in the private sector. On the other, you have evidence of misconduct under the Hatch Act and, in a light most favorable to Administrator Doan, a proclivity toward misrepresentation and obstructing an official investigation. She has shown little ability to appreciate how her actions have affected the public trust or others in the administration who are watching."

The letter stated that "despite engaging in the most pernicious of political activity prohibited by the Hatch Act," Doan has failed to show any remorse or appreciation for the seriousness of the violation.

Bloch said Doan's response to OSC's report is evidence she is attempting to "minimize her illegal political activity" by arguing that her request was directed at politically appointed officials. "One may assume any such political activity likely would be in line with 'their own beliefs,'" the response stated.

In a nine-page memorandum on her response, OSC said "it is appalling" for Doan, as the highest ranking official at the agency, "to argue that her solicitation of political services was not so egregious because it was directed at her subordinate political appointees as opposed to her subordinate career civil servants."

The memo said Doan's response does not dispute any of the facts in the OSC report. Rather, the GSA chief attempted to shift the focus to the actions of others to minimize her illegal activity, OSC stated.

The OSC memo also provided more details on the discussion at the conclusion of the presentation. It stated that after Doan asked those at the meeting how the agency could help "our candidates" a GSA regional administrator spoke up and asked how the agency could get "our people" to attend a building opening event since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., would be attending. Doan followed that comment by emphasizing the importance of having Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., attend the opening of a federal courthouse since former President Clinton was scheduled to attend.

Following these statements, Jennings interrupted the conversation and asked for the discussion to be "taken off-line," according to OSC.

COMMENTS

• As a retired GSA employee I recall that all GSA employees had to striclty adhere to the Hatch Act and sign acknowledgements that we fully understand the Hatch Act and the consequences of violating it. GSA employees are also required to disclose all assets over and above their salaries and bonuses, if any. That means land, common stock, investments, etc. This is said to protect them from allegations of contractor kickback or allegations of wrong doing while involved with contractors. It is said. GSA employees are held to a high standard and GSA employees are morally high standard employees. I have been on the dark side of a lengthy investigation of being investigated by GSA-OIG and cleared of the charges stemming from a co-worker's mere assertion to an investigator. But the investigation began on nothing more than word of mouth, no credible witnesses, and the process was ugly. Even when an innocent employee is charged of a "crime" and then legally cleared the career damage is done. It's a double edged sword though. The GSA-OIG that spear-headed the investigation ended up getting sued in court (and lost) for finally getting caught twisting the truth and embellishing testimony in at least two cases. I am not defending Ms. Doan. She certainly hasn't provided anything to make me believe she is totally innocent. Nor have I seen anything to make me believe she is totally guilty. I see lots of gray, but nothing black or white. Scott Posted June 18, 2007 4:24 PM
• I have to agree with Don. There are sufficient reasons to point fingers at both parties but it IS this administration’s time in the barrel and there’s been a lot of justification based on “Well, they did it first!” But his point of taking the art of corruption to a fine science truly strikes home for me. I can’t help but feeling that Dick’s affiliation with Halliburton and the subsequent allocation of billions of dollars in unbid, sole-source contracts took the “Spoils System” to an all-time high. Doan seems to have merely tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to follow in her mentor’s foot steps. My biggest problems with the current administration hinges on the changing reason for our current deployment (WMD vs. defense of Democracy vs. the elimination of world-wide terrorism) and the negation of the Bill of Rights; which Doan also seems to have tried in her attempt to discredit her tattle-tale subordinates. I’ve never heard her accused of trying to negate the Whistle blower protections, but the block criticizing of the performance of those bringing her activities to light, deeming them in need for retraining and re-education, seems to violate those protections. Every time I’ve heard someone question the draconian security measures enabled by the Patriot’s Act, it seems they were labeled un-American. It is our Constitution and the Bill of Rights that make us different from all other governments. Perhaps the judiciary, that Dubya attempts to stack in his favor, will be strong enough to hold out for times more conducive to upholding our individual freedoms. One can only hope. Tip off Posted June 18, 2007 9:39 AM
• DON, if you don't want to debate the issue that fine....but the fact remains that corruption occurs with in both parties at every level of both state and federal GOV. What's currently happening with the GSA official and the Dem. Congressman from the state of Louisiana is the norm not the exception. I completely agree that, as a Vet, a Taxpayer and as a GOV employee, I am embarrassed by the level of corruption with in our GOV. The only point that I am making is that from a historical perspective....it's not unusual. VET Posted June 14, 2007 3:02 PM