Deputy to embattled Special Counsel leaves for Lockheed

The top deputy to Scott Bloch, the embattled head of the Office of Special Counsel, has resigned to take a job at Lockheed Martin Corp. in what employees called a sign of turmoil at the agency.

Jim Byrne, the deputy special counsel, will work under Lockheed Martin's General Counsel James Comey, the former deputy U.S. attorney general, sources said.

Bloch, whose office enforces federal workplace laws, is under investigation by the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia.

FBI agents raided the agency's offices and Bloch's home in May in an apparent search for evidence Bloch destroyed computer files sought by investigators in a separate probe into charges Bloch retaliated against agency whistleblowers who opposed his policies.

Office of Special Counsel employees said Byrne criticized Bloch's management in a resignation letter, but denied reports that Byrne resigned in protest.

Byrne is among several OSC employees who were scheduled to appear before a federal grand jury investigating Bloch, according to people involved in the probe.