Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne revised the department's ethics policy, one of the areas he said he would address when he joined the Bush administration, shortly after creating it.

In June, Kempthorne created the Conduct and Accountability Board to review ethical complaints. The effort got off to a rocky start when the official assigned to it resigned to join the lobbying industry -- an issue that has plagued the department since the Clinton administration.

And just a month later, Kempthorne said the only officials who could refer matters to the ethics panel were the Interior Department's deputy secretary or his own chief of staff, according to documents obtained by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. J. Steven Griles, the former deputy secretary, is serving prison time for lying about his relationship with a lobbyist.

Get the Story:
Interior Secretary Revises Ethics Policy (AP 12/17)
pwpwd

Inspector General Report:
Allegations Concerning Senior Officials of the Office of Special Trustee for American Indians (May 2005)

Relevant Links:
Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility - http://www.peer.org

Related Stories:
Interior's new conduct board already needs leader (7/11)
Editorial: Interior's ethics policy not enough (7/10)
Ethics issue behind us, Swimmer tells OST (06/27)
Editorial: Interior's lack of accountability (2/23)
Accounting firm defends social relations with OST (07/27)
OST contract tied to favors to top officials (7/25)
OST officials awarded $6.6M contract to friends (7/24)