 Lurita
Doan
 Karl
Rove
 2008
Election
2006
Election
|
 Scott
J Bloch
SCOTT BLOCH News:
20080514
-
Scott
Bloch
- Lurita
Doan - Karl
Rove -
 Politics
-  Government
- Hatch
Act -  Investigation
- "Six
Degrees of Scott Bloch: A Scandal Scorecard." ...
"Several [Republican President] Bush administration officials have become
ensnared in an interlocking set of investigations into allegations of Hatch
Act violations, whistleblower misconduct and other prohibited personnel
practices. At the center of these investigations is Scott Bloch, head of
the U.S. [United States] Office of Special Counsel. Characters drawn into
the drama include former General Services Administration chief Lurita Doan,
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and top Bush adviser Karl Rove." [SEE:
"relationship
each actor had with Scott Bloch."] -By Ross
Gianfortune, Melanie Bender, and Robert Brodsky
-GovExec.com
20080507
-
Scott
J Bloch
- Criminal
- Government
-
 Computer
- Censorship
- Politics
-  Workers
-  Law
-  Virginia
- "Federal
Agents Raid Office of Special Counsel." ... "Nearly
two dozen federal agents yesterday raided the Washington headquarters of
the agency that protects government whistle-blowers, as part of an intensifying
criminal investigation of its leader, who is fighting allegations of improper
political bias and obstruction of justice." ... "Agents fanned out yesterday
morning in the agency's building on M Street, where they sequestered Office
of Special Counsel chief Scott J. Bloch for questioning, served grand-jury
subpoenas on 17 employees and shut down access to computer networks in
a search lasting more than five hours." ... "Bloch, who was nominated to
his post by [Republican] President Bush in 2003, is the principal official
responsible for protecting federal employees from reprisals for complaints
about waste and fraud. He also polices violations of Hatch Act prohibitions
on political activities in federal offices." ... "Bloch has long been a
target of criticism, some of it by his agency's career officials, but the
FBI's [Federal Bureau of Investigation's] abrupt seizure of computers and
records marked a substantial escalation of the executive branch's probe
of his conduct. Retired FBI agents and former prosecutors called the raid
an unusual, if not unprecedented, intrusion on the work of a federal agency."
... "Agents from the Office of Personnel Management's inspector general's
office, who have been investigating Bloch for more than two years, visited
his home on Stockade Drive in Alexandria [Virginia] yesterday. They left
carrying boxes of files." ... "Complaints from [whistle-blowers lawyer
Debra] Katz's clients and others ultimately prompted the inspector general
at the Office of Personnel Management to begin examining Bloch's treatment
of workers and his handling of cases involving whistle-blowers at other
agencies. During the probe, Bloch hired the technology service Geeks on
Call to erase his computer hard drive and those of two aides, giving rise
to new allegations that he was obstructing justice." (1, 2)
-By Carrie Johnson and Christopher Lee with contributions
by Stephen Barr and Daniela Deane and research editor Alice Crites
-WashingtonPost
-
Scott
J Bloch
- Lurita
Alexis Doan - Illegal
- Political
- Government
- Workers
- Hatch
Act - Computer
- Censorship
- 2004
Election - Travel
- "FBI
seizes Doan, Rice case files in raid of OSC chief's office."
... "About 20 FBI [Federal Bureau of Investigation] agents and administrative
investigators executed search warrants Tuesday on the U.S. [United States]
Office of Special Counsel in a daylong raid that appeared at least partly
focused on finding information on the office's high-profile investigations
into alleged illegal political activity by [Republican President] Bush
administration officials." ... "Last year, the OPM IG's office began looking
into Bloch's hiring of private computer technicians to remove files from
his office computer and those of aides. The files had been sought by investigators,
but Bloch has described the files as personal and not relevant to the probe."
... "But OSC employees said the grand jury subpoenas seek a wide range
of information that goes beyond Bloch's deletion of computer files or treatment
of agency employees." ... "Investigators have demanded all files on OSC's
investigation last year into allegations of improper political activity
by Lurita Doan, the former head of the General Services Administration,
who was forced to resign last week by the White House." ... "OSC found
that Doan, in a January 2007 meeting to discuss Republican congressional
races with the agency's political appointees and a White House political
operative, violated the Hatch Act, which bars federal employees from using
government resources for partisan politics. But the finding generated criticism
from House Republicans, who accused Bloch of leaking results of the Doan
investigation to the news media." ... "During Tuesday's raid, investigators
did not seek files from the wider Hatch Act probe, but they subpoenaed
at least two OSC employees who are part of the unit looking into the suspected
political activities. They also sought Bloch's expense and credit card
records, information regarding his use of storage facilities or safety
deposit boxes and material related to testimony he has delivered at congressional
hearings." ... "In addition, investigators demanded documents related to
OSC's investigation into allegations that Secretary of State Rice used
federal resources to travel to campaign appearances supporting President
Bush's re-election in 2004. Bloch's office closed the case, finding no
violation by Rice." -By Dan Friedman
-CongressDaily
via -GovExec.com
-
Scott
J Bloch
- Karl
Rove - Criminal
- Government
- Workers
- Politics
- Hatch
Act -
 History
- Computer
- Data
- Censorship
- "FBI
Raids Special Counsel, Seizes Data." ... "Federal
agents raided the Office of Special Counsel, a government agency involved
in several high-profile and politically sensitive investigations. The agents
seized computer files and documents from its chief, Scott Bloch, and his
staff." ... "Mr. Bloch, who was appointed by [Republican] President Bush,
has been under investigation since 2005 by the Office of Personnel Management
for employee claims that he abused his agency's authority, retaliated against
its staff and dismissed whistleblower cases without adequate examination."
... "The Justice Department joined the case as the inquiry was widened
last year to include possible obstruction of justice, which is a criminal
offense. The Wall Street Journal reported [November] Nov. 28 that in the
midst of the inquiry Mr. Bloch used an agency credit card to hire a commercial
firm, Geeks on Call, to erase data from his computer and those of former
staff." ... "The Office of Special Counsel, created in the 1970s in the
wake of the Watergate scandal, probes sensitive personnel and whistleblower
claims by government workers. It also enforces the Hatch Act, which forbids
the use of federal resources for partisan political purposes." ... "Among
the office's recent inquiries was whether former [Republican President
Bush] White House political director Karl Rove and others improperly used
U.S. [United States] agencies to help elect Republicans." ... "Mr. Bloch's
investigation of the White House political operation began after a Rove
deputy gave a series of political presentations to government agencies
on Republican prospects in specific congressional races. Mr. Bloch's office
wanted to know whether such presentations violated the Hatch Act." -By
John R. Wilke -WSJ.com
20071130
-
Scott
J Bloch
- Karl
Rove
- Federal
- Investigators
- Computer- Politics
- Employees
- Campaigns
- "U.S.
Special Counsel Says He Won't Provide Files." ...
"A U.S. official overseeing a probe of potential [Republican President
Bush] White House misconduct declared through a spokesman yesterday that
he will not give federal investigators copies of personal files that he
deleted from his office computer." ... "The decision by Special Counsel
Scott J. Bloch escalates the confrontation between the Bush appointee and
the White House, each of which is investigating the other." ... "Bloch's
office is tasked with upholding laws against whistle-blower retaliation
and partisan politicking in federal agencies. Earlier this year, Bloch
directed lawyers in his office to look into charges that former Bush adviser
Karl Rove inappropriately deployed government employees in Republican political
campaigns." ... "Attorneys representing the staff members in the complaints
against Bloch cited the latest dispute in calling for his resignation."
... ""At the time that he initiated this probe of Karl Rove, we thought
he was doing this to make himself bulletproof so the White House could
not take disciplinary action against him," said Debra Katz, an attorney
for the staff members. Bloch denied that charge and said the Rove investigation
is the responsibility of his office." -By Elizabeth
Williamson -WashingtonPost
20071128
-
Noteworthy
- Scott
Bloch
- Karl
Rove
-
 Military
- Government
- Computer
-  Intelligence
-  Company
- Hacking
- 2006
Election - Politics
- Employee
- Justice
- Investigation
-  Kan
- "Head
of Rove Inquiry in Hot Seat Himself: Bloch Used Private
Company, Geeks on Call, to Delete Files On His Office Computer." ... "The
head of the federal agency investigating [Republican President Bush's former
aide] Karl Rove's White House political operation is facing allegations
that he improperly deleted computer files during another probe, using a
private computer-help company, Geeks on Call." ... "TScott Bloch runs the
Office of Special Counsel, an agency charged with protecting government
whistleblowers and enforcing a ban on federal employees engaging in partisan
political activity. Mr. Bloch's agency is looking into whether Mr. Rove
and other White House officials used government agencies to help re-elect
Republicans in 2006." ... "TAt the same time, Mr. Bloch has himself been
under investigation since 2005. At the direction of the White House, the
federal Office of Personnel Management's inspector general is looking into
claims that Mr. Bloch improperly retaliated against employees and dismissed
whistleblower cases without adequate examination." ... "TRecently, investigators
learned that Mr. Bloch erased all the files on his office personal computer
late last year. They are now trying to determine whether the deletions
were improper or part of a cover-up, lawyers close to the case said." ...
"In an interview, the 49-year-old former labor-law litigator from Lawrence,
Kan., confirmed that he contacted Geeks on Call but said he was trying
to eradicate a virus that had seized control of his computer." ... "Mr.
Bloch believes the White House may have a conflict of interest in pressing
the inquiry into his conduct while his office investigates the White House
political operation." ... "Depending on circumstances, erasing files or
destroying evidence in a federal investigation can be considered obstruction
of justice." ... "Mr. Bloch had his computer's hard disk completely cleansed
using a "seven-level" wipe: a thorough scrubbing that conforms to Defense
Department data-security standards. The process makes it nearly impossible
for forensics experts to restore the data later. He also directed Geeks
on Call to erase laptop computers that had been used by his two top political
deputies, who had recently left the agency." -By John
R. Wilke -WSJ.com
20070612
-
Lurita
Doan
-
 Scott
Jennings - Government
- Politics
- 2006
Election - 2008
Election
- "White
House urged to punish GSA chief to 'fullest extent'."
... "[Republican President Bush appointee] General Services Administration
chief Lurita Doan should "be disciplined to the fullest extent" for violating
the law that limits political activity in [federal government] agencies,
the head of the independent agency investigating the matter said in a letter
to President Bush Friday." ... "The four-page
letter [pdf], 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 [for the 2008 election],
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."
-By Daniel Pulliam -GovExec.com
20070424
-
Scott
J Bloch
- Karl
Rove
- Government
- Employees
- Investigation
- 2004
Election - Travel
- Politics
-
 E-Mail
- US
Attorney - Hatch
Act - Law
-  Mass
- "Rove
Investigator Faces Own Allegations." ... "The senior
government official who says he is investigating [Republican President
Bush's aide] Karl Rove for allegations he influenced government activity
for partisan purposes is himself facing allegations of similar behavior."
... "In interviews yesterday with reporters, Scott J. Bloch disclosed that
his Office of Special Counsel was opening a broad probe of the White House
political office and its interaction with government agencies. The investigation
will cover the use of private e-mail accounts by White House aides, the
firing of at least one U.S. attorney and presentations of political data
by White House aides to other officials in government, Bloch told the Los
Angeles Times and the Washington Post." ... "But government watchdogs have
accused Bloch himself of similar behavior. In April 2005, they and others
complained the White House appointee had allowed his office to "sit on"
a complaint that then-White House National Security Adviser Condoleezza
Rice used government funds to travel in support of President Bush's [2004]
re-election bid." ... "By contrast, they said, Bloch ordered an immediate
on-site investigation of a complaint that Bush's challenger for the White
House, [Massachusetts Democratic Senator and 2004 Presidential Candidate]
Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., improperly campaigned in a government workplace,
which had been filed around the same time." ... "Bloch's obscure but important
office investigates violations of a law banning the use of public resources
for partisan political purposes, known as the Hatch Act. In January, his
office said Kerry did not violate the act." -By Justin
Rood -ABCNEWS.com
-
Scott
J Bloch
- Government
- Employee
- Politicizing
- Law
-
 Media
- Censorship
- "Inquiry
on Political Influence." ... "The agency in the Justice
Department [NYT correction: the Office of Special Counsel is not part
of the Justice Deoartment] that handles complaints about political
influence in the Civil Service will investigate whether the White House
has improperly tried to use government agencies for political purposes,
its spokesman said Tuesday." ... "But the head of the Office of Special
Counsel, Scott J. Bloch, is himself under investigation by the inspector
general of the Office of Personnel Management over accusations of politicizing
his agency." ... "A group of employees who work for Mr. Bloch has filed
a complaint saying he tried to dismantle the agency, illegally barred employees
from talking to the news media and reduced a backlog of whistle-blower
complaints by simply discarding old cases. Debra Katz, a Washington lawyer
representing the employees, said it was obvious that Mr. Bloch was trying
to use the investigation to divert attention from his own problems." -By
Neil A. Lewis -NYTimes
20070216
-
Scott
J Bloch
- Government
- Employees
- Investigation
- Politics
- Kansas
- "Special
Counsel Accused Of Intimidation in Probe: Contact
With Investigators Controlled, Employees Say." ... "A trouble-plagued whistle-blower
investigation at the Office of Special Counsel -- whose duties include
shielding federal whistle-blowers -- hit another snag this week when employees
accused the special counsel of intimidation in the probe." ... "The Office
of Personnel Management's inspector general has been investigating allegations
by current and former OSC employees that Special Counsel Scott J. Bloch
retaliated against underlings who disagreed with his policies -- by, among
other means, transferring them out of state -- and tossed out legitimate
whistle-blower cases to reduce the office backlog. Bloch denies the accusations,
saying that under his leadership the agency has grown more efficient and
receptive to whistle-blowers." ... "The probe is the most serious of many
problems at the agency since Bloch, a Kansas lawyer who served at the Justice
Department's Task Force for Faith-based and Community Initiatives, was
appointed by [Republican] President Bush three years ago." ... "The 16-month
investigation has been beset by delays, accusations and counter-accusations.
The latest problem began two weeks ago, when Bloch's deputy sent staffers
a memo asking them to inform OSC higher-ups when investigators contact
them." -By Elizabeth Williamson
-WashingtonPost
20050525
-
Scott
J Bloch
- Gay
- Government
- Employees
-
 Human
- Rights
- Enforcement
- Politics
- "Official
Says Law Doesn't Cover Gays: Counsel Cites Lack of
Authority to Enforce Discrimination Ban." ... "Special counsel Scott J.
Bloch told a Senate panel yesterday that he lacks the legal authority to
enforce the [Republican President] Bush administration's ban on discrimination
against federal employees based on sexual orientation." ... "If a federal
manager fires, reassigns or takes some other action against an employee
simply because that employee is gay, there is nothing in federal law that
would permit the Office of Special Counsel to protect the worker, Bloch
testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs subcommittee
on oversight of government management, the federal workforce and the District
of Columbia." ... "Since taking office in January 2004, the Bush appointee
has been accused of failing to enforce a long-standing policy against bias
in the federal workplace based on sexual orientation, unnecessarily reorganizing
the OSC to try to run off internal critics, and arbitrarily dismissing
some personnel complaints and whistle-blower disclosures in an effort to
claim reductions in backlogs." -By Christopher Lee
-WashingtonPost
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