Office of Special Counsel

Sentencing postponed for former head of US whistleblowing watchdog

Topics: 
USA, Office of Special Counsel
Rating: 
0

Ann E. Marimow – May 13, 2013

The legal odyssey of Scott J. Bloch, the former head of the federal agency that protects government whistleblowers, continued Monday when a federal judge balked at proceeding with sentencing because of what he called an “improperly sanitized version of events.”

Bloch, the Bush-era head of the Office of Special Counsel, pleaded guilty in February to a misdemeanor offense of destroying government property when he ordered the deletion of office computer files by private technicians.

Ex-whistle-blower protector pleads guilty

Topics: 
USA, Office of Special Counsel, Watchdogs
Rating: 
2

Frederic J. Frommer –  February 12, 2013

A former government official responsible for protecting whistle-blowers has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of injury to government property.

Scott Bloch had his government computer and those of two of his staffers wiped clean of information in 2006. He had been under investigation at the time for retaliating against employees at the federal agency he headed, which was responsible for protecting the rights of federal workers and ensuring that government whistle-blowers are not subjected to reprisals. He faces up to six months in jail.

Former whistleblower watchdog chief nominated for judgeship

Topics: 
USA, Office of Special Counsel
Rating: 
0

Lou Chibbaro Jr. – March 20, 2013

President Obama on Tuesday named attorney Elaine D. Kaplan, the current general counsel for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, as one of two nominees to become a judge on the United States Court of Federal Claims.

If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Kaplan would become the second out gay person to serve on the specialized court, which hears cases brought by citizens against the federal government to recover monetary damages.

A Pattern of Problems at a Hospital for Veterans

Topics: 
USA, Office of Special Counsel, Health care
Rating: 
1

James Dao – March 18, 2013

In an unusually strong letter sent to the White House on Monday, the office that handles complaints from federal whistle-blowers says it has found a pattern of problems at a Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in Jackson, Miss., that raises serious questions about the hospital’s management practices.

The problems over the last six years include poor sterilization procedures, chronic understaffing of the primary care unit and missed diagnoses by the radiology department.

US Activists Laud Special Counsel’s Entry into Whistleblower Case

Topics: 
USA, Office of Special Counsel, Watchdogs, National security
Rating: 
4
Carolyn Lerner

Charles S. Clark – March 15, 2013

In a first since passage last November of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act, the Office of Special Counsel on Thursday filed an amicus brief challenging a ruling it says would deny federal employees who feel they are unfairly removed from so-called “sensitive” national security positions appropriate recourse. The move was applauded by nonprofit whistleblower advocates’ groups.

Special Counsel Carolyn Lerner, siding with the Merit Systems Protection Board, filed a brief in the U.S. Appeals Court for the Federal Circuit, arguing that a Defense Department decision to declare two civilian employees ineligible for positions deemed sensitive, if upheld in court, “would undermine Congress’ repeated efforts to strengthen whistleblower and other good government protections for federal workers.”

Former US Whistleblower Watchdog Charged with Destruction of Government Property

Topics: 
USA, Office of Special Counsel, Watchdogs
Rating: 
2

Mike Scarcella – December 21, 2012

A former George W. Bush administration lawyer who once faced jail time for contempt of Congress was charged today in a separate, related offense: destruction of government property.

The saga of Scott Bloch, the former head of the Office of Special Counsel, spans several years. Bloch pleaded guilty in Washington federal district court in April 2010 to the misdemeanor contempt charge of contempt of Congress. Bloch, his lawyer and prosecutors settled on a deal for probation. But that agreement was never implemented.

Trio of US whistleblowers recognized

Topics: 
USA, Honours, Office of Special Counsel
Rating: 
3

William H. McMichael – June 29, 2012

Three years ago, the Dover Port Mortuary workers stood alone in the workplace, berated and ostracized by management for standing up to report undocumented and missing remains at the facility where all U.S. war dead are received and prepared -- practices that outraged the nation.

Thursday in Washington, William Zwicharowski, Mary Ellen Spera and James Parsons were recognized for their11 bravery when the independent Office of Special Counsel gave the trio its Public Servant of the Year award.

How to foster a more ethical culture

Topics: 
USA, Office of Special Counsel, Watchdogs
Rating: 
0

Camille Tuutti – June 28, 2012

At a time when government accountability has suffered serious blows, the Office of Special Counsel has become increasingly crucial in fostering an ethical culture and protecting the rights of federal whistle-blowers.

OSC is an independent federal investigative and prosecutorial agency that safeguards the merit system by protecting federal employees and applicants from prohibited personnel practices, especially reprisal for whistle-blowing, and enforces the civilian employment and re-employment rights of military service members under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act and the Hatch Act.

Under Carolyn Lerner, US special counsel office is doing its job now, observers say

Topics: 
USA, Office of Special Counsel, Watchdogs
Rating: 
3
Carolyn Lerner and James Parsons

Joe Davidson – June 29, 2012

A year ago this month, Carolyn Lerner took over a special counsel’s office that held a special place among federal agencies for failing to do its job.

Before President Obama appointed her as special counsel, the office was best known for its previous boss who faced incarceration for contempt of Congress. Morale had been in the pits, right next to the agency’s reputation for effectiveness, especially in protecting the rights of federal whistleblowers.

US Air Force commander punished for retaliating against whistleblowers

Topics: 
USA, Victories, Office of Special Counsel
Rating: 
3

Craig Whitlock – May 21, 2012

The Air Force said Monday that it had fined the former commander of the Dover Air Force Base mortuary $7,000 and suspended his top deputy for 20 days without pay for retaliating against whistleblowers, but it allowed both men to keep their jobs.

The punishment came in response to an independent federal investigation that concluded the mortuary’s leadership had wrongfully tried to fire two subordinates after they reported missing body parts, lax management and other problems at the base that handles America’s war dead.

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