Grapevine: Inspector General's choice words for the EPA
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}And now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine…
Management 101
The EPA’S Inspector General has some choice words for the agency’s management.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The IG found that supervisors at the EPA had a quote -- culture of complacency -- in rooting out abuse or fraud -- and punishing those who commit it.
Case in point-- in November 2013 and May 2014 -- management was made aware of two separate employees viewing and downloading pornography-- at work-- while on the clock.
It took until this past March-- for them to issue notices of proposed removal.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}One employee was allowed to retire -- the other remains on paid administrative leave.
The EPA has been warned multiple times about taking more severe and timely disciplinary action.
Misreading the Tea Leaves
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}They should have seen this coming.
Psychic readings at a party -- have led to the suspension of two Veteran's Affairs officials in Philadelphia.
An Inspector General's investigation found employees were inappropriately convinced to pay for readings -- done by the wife of an employee.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The party was hosted by assistant director Lucy Filipov -- who the VA IG said quote -- "misused her position for the private gain of a subordinate and his spouse."
Gary Hodge -- whose wife earned the money -- did not report the income on his disclosure reports.
The VA has not said whether the suspended employees are still being paid.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Time to Jam
Finally -- a Florida teacher got so fed up with students using their phones during class- he brought in a signal jammer.
The science teacher thought the cell-phone blocking device was OK as long as it wasn't intended for malicious purposes.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The school was not happy -- "If someone needed to call 911 in the school or in the vicinity, they may not have been able to get through."
The teacher had plenty of support online -- "your teacher -- the cell phone jammer -- should be honored as a hero! Parents should be to blame, not the teacher!"
The school district chose not to prosecute- instead issuing a five day suspension without pay.