Department of Energy: Allegations About the Director of the Office of Minority Economic Impact
RCED-86-95
Published: Jun 12, 1986. Publicly Released: Jun 30, 1986.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO investigated various allegations against the former Director of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Minority Economic Impact (OMEI), focusing on allegations that the Director: (1) proposed a reduction in force (RIF) to retaliate against the two affected employees; (2) claimed travel expenses for trips not related to government business; and (3) misused government telephones and vehicles.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Energy | The Secretary of Energy should request the Inspector General to determine the extent to which the Director's trips were personal, and whether regulations covering conflict of interest, salary, and appropriation augmentation were violated. Based on these determinations, the Secretary should take cost recovery and other actions, as appropriate. |
The Secretary of Energy has determined that the trips in question were official government travel. The Secretary also determined that the Mendez Foundation improperly paid for the expenses for one of the Director's trips to Puerto Rico. The Director made payment to the Mendez Foundation on February 1, 1989, in the amount of $499.95 and submitted a travel voucher to DOE on February 15, 1989.
|
| Department of Energy | The Secretary of Energy should request the Inspector General, DOE, to determine the extent to which the Director made use of long-distance telephone lines and the motor pool for personal use at government expense, and recover any such expenses, as appropriate. |
The Director was billed for personal use of government equipment. DOE received a check on February 10, 1988 for reimbursement of personal expenses.
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Topics
Conflict of interestsDebt collectionExpense claimsPersonnel managementReductions in forceTelephonesTransportationTravel allowancesTravel costsManagement review