Where is Bryan Rice, the former director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs? The
Trump administration won't say what happened to him following allegations of harassment lodged by BIA employees in Washington, D.C. Photo: Senate
Committee on Indian Affairs
BIA Official Engaged in Unprofessional Behavior - PDF
Indianz.Com has asked the Department of the Interior for comment about the report, which discloses that higher-level officials were told about Rice's behaviors. But at least one of these officials "did not document any corrective action," according to the Office of Inspector General.
The names of these officials are also redacted in the report. But it's clear from the document --- particularly page four -- that two of the officials have longer titles than most, indicating they are in political-level positions at the department.
Two current BIA employees, as well as a former official who is familiar with the chain of command at the department, have since told Indianz.Com that Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary John Tahsuda and Associate Deputy Secretary Jim Cason would have been told about the allegations against Rice.
And throughout the report, the pronoun "he" is repeatedly used -- indicating that higher-level male employees were told about the alleged harassment.
Additionally, the Office of Inspector General provided the report to the Deputy Secretary of the Interior. That official is David Bernhardt, the second-in-command at the department.
Bernhardt, who is the point person on harassment and misconduct issues is poised to be named the "acting" Secretary of the Interior following the sudden resignation of Ryan Zinke over the weekend.
The unredacted report is the full version of a summary that was posted online by the Office of Inspector General on September 4. Following the posting, Indianz.Com filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the complete document.
The office, however, declined to provide the document. The Office of Inspector General's first response, on September 17, offered a compelling reason: there was an "ongoing investigation."
"After reviewing the information we have determined that the documents you requested related to an ongoing investigation," the letter to Indianz.Com stated.
"Therefore, we have determined the proceedings are not concluded in this matter and that release of records related to these proceedings could reasonably be expected to reveal OIG’s case prematurely, and otherwise interfere with OIG’s ability to effectively enforce the law," the letter continued.
In a September 17, 2018, letter, the Office of Inspector General at the Department of the Interior declined to provide a copy of an investigative report into a senior official at the Bureau of Indian Affairs. An excerpt of the letter explaining the reason for the declination is seen here.
