Tuesday federal headlines – June 11, 2013

The Federal Newscast is a daily compilation of the stories you hear Federal Drive hosts Tom Temin and Emily Kopp discuss throughout the show each day. The Newsc...

The Morning Federal Newscast is a daily compilation of the stories you hear Federal Drive hosts Tom Temin and Emily Kopp discuss throughout the show each day. The Newscast is designed to give FederalNewsRadio.com users more information about the stories you hear on the air.

  • The Securities and Exchange Commission says it settled a dispute with whistleblower David Weber to the tune of $580,000. It also dropped a counter- lawsuit against Weber, a former assistant inspector general. GovExec reports, Weber has been re-instated, and all negative references in his personnel file have been deleted. In 2012, Weber testified to Congress about possible espionage by foreign nationals. He wanted to carry a handgun to work. The agency accused him of being a physical threat, and he was terminated. He sued the agency for $40 million. (GovExec)
  • B. Todd Jones will press his case for director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives before senators today. Some say President Obama’s pick is a long shot. The Senate has not confirmed an ATF director for six years. Jones will be just the second nominee to face congressional questioning since the Senate was given the authority to confirm bureau chiefs back in 2006. Jones ran ATF temporarily in 2011, after a botched gun-tracking program led to the death of a Border Patrol agent. He also served as U.S. attorney in Minnesota. The Office of Special Counsel is investigating allegations of whistleblower retaliation dating to that time. (Federal News Radio)
  • The website that is supposed to track agencies’ performance on key missions is having an identity crisis of sorts. The Government Accountability Office says the White House has yet to clarify what Performance.gov is supposed to do or what audience it is meant for. For example, are agencies supposed to refer to the website to coordinate their strategies? Or is the site for the public? The Office of Management and Budget says the site is becoming more public-facing and citizen-centric. (Federal News Radio)
  • At least a dozen children or other relatives of Energy Department officials have received summer jobs at the department. Inspector General Gregory Friedman says the jobs are an apparent violation of federal nepotism rules. Friedman says one senior official called a dozen colleagues, looking to place his three college-aged children in jobs. Two got them, in the official’s own section. Friedman didn’t name the employee, but he or she works in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. An employee in Friedman’s own IG office also secured a summer job for a child. Friedman says that employee has been reprimanded. (Energy/Federal News Radio)
  • George Washington University honored 13 feds for career achievements last night. GW hands out the Arthur S Flemming awards to current federal employees with between three and 15 years of service. The winners included top scientists, three Justice Department attorneys and an intelligence expert on disruptive events. Dr. David Bray started off as a bioterrorism expert at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He then left to pursue a Ph.D. He volunteered to go to Afghanistan to help military generals think differently about strategy. He now works for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. (George Washington University)
  • The State Department may be trying to sweep misconduct under the rug. CBS News says it has uncovered an inspector general’s memo. The document details investigations by the agency’s Diplomatic Security Service that were either manipulated or called off. Among the eight cases were allegations that an official in Beirut engaged in sexual assault and that former Secretary Hillary Clinton’s security detail engaged prostitutes while on official trips abroad. The State Department says it investigates misconduct thoroughly. It has requested another review on top of the IG’s report. (CBS News)

Copyright © 2024 Federal News Network. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.