"The House Natural Resources Committee roughed up Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne yesterday over those fun-loving employees in Colorado who took gifts and free trips, used drugs and had sex with employees from the oil and gas companies they were supposed to oversee.
Kempthorne naturally said he'd get a handle on it, promising to appoint someone in the Denver office to monitor ethics, maybe fire some people and do random drug testing.
But let's not overlook the fact that the Office of Government Ethics this month awarded the department its 2008 Education and Communication Award for "developing a dynamic laminated Ethics Guide for employees." Yes, indeed, "this polished, professional guide has colorful pictures and prints which demand employees' attention." Beautiful shots of a mountain lion, a moose, magnificent vistas.
The guide is small enough to carry in your pocket, the OGE announcement says, so you can refer to it whenever temptation lurks: "The guide features tabs on a variety of ethics topics." Indeed, the section on gifts clearly shows that the lodging, meals, transportation, golf outings and such that the employees gobbled up are no-no's."
Get the Story:In the Loop: So That's What 'Laminated' Means (The Washington Post 9/19)
pwpwd Committee Notice:
Oversight Hearing On “Recent Interior Department Inspector General Investigations On Federal Oil And Gas Royalty Collections.” (September 18, 2008) OIG Reports:
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