Jim McElhatton
Articles by Jim McElhatton
Issa hits fed crackdown on tree-trimmer
The House's top investigator said Wednesday that a federal agency's decision to pursue criminal charges against a tree-trimmer for accidentally disturbing bird nests in California highlights a troubling disparity in how private citizens and misbehaving government workers are treated. Published May 28, 2014
Despite VA exec’s master’s degree lie, Sheila Cullen still oversees network of health care centers
The Department of Veterans Affairs has kept a high-ranking senior executive in charge of a more than $1 billion network of hospitals and clinics despite learning she had falsely claimed to have a master's degree in official records for years, documents show. Published May 26, 2014
Louisiana VA staff falsified documents; nurse claimed racial element
Twenty-three employees at a Department of Veterans Affairs center in Louisiana were placed on leave in 2010 as part of an investigation into document forgeries, a move revealed only in federal whistleblower lawsuits filed years later. Published May 22, 2014
Obama transition team told about 3 audits showing VA misreported wait times
President Obama's transition team was warned in 2008 that repeated audits showed the Veterans Affairs Department was misreporting wait times for medical treatment, including one audit revealing delays nearly 10 times worse than the department was officially acknowledging. Published May 21, 2014
Obama warned about VA wait-time problems during 2008 transition
The Obama administration received clear notice more than five years ago that VA medical facilities were reporting inaccurate waiting times and experiencing scheduling failures that threatened to deny veterans timely health care — problems that have turned into a growing scandal. Published May 18, 2014
Contractor sues government; says disabled can’t get clearance
A federal contractor is going to court over the government's set-asides for work for the severely disabled, arguing that when it comes to highly classified intelligence jobs that require top secret security clearance, there aren't enough potential employees who qualify. Published May 15, 2014
Energy Department loan office under scrutiny
The Energy Department's loan office — which came under fire for its handling of failed solar panel maker Solyndra — left a key oversight office understaffed for nearly a year, according to a recent government audit. Published May 14, 2014
Secret Service signs new deal for landlord Joe Biden
Landlord Joe Biden will keep collecting rent checks from the agency that protects his life thanks to another contract extension that allows Secret Service agents to continue staying in a cottage on his Delaware property. Published May 14, 2014
Federal workers hold on to jobs despite blatant misconduct
A program analyst at the Department of Housing and Urban Development spent up to three hours a day for five years working on private business deals — including once arranging to supply lap dancers for a private party — while he was supposed to be doing government work. Published May 13, 2014
Fed’s online porn surfing opens government computers to viruses
Porn in the federal workplace poses a security risk, giving computer viruses inroads to attack government servers. Published May 11, 2014
Issa threatens EPA with contempt proceedings over records
The Obama administration faces the specter of another contempt proceeding after House Republicans said this week that they have run out of patience with the EPA, which has been slow to respond to subpoenas for documents. Published May 8, 2014
Bogus CIA probe was botched by EPA office
The federal probe into EPA fraudster and phony CIA spy John Beale was "delayed and damaged" by the agency's homeland security office, a government watchdog told Congress on Wednesday while revealing new probes across the agency including one of a man who reportedly watched porn at work for up to 6 hours per day. Published May 7, 2014
Watchdog finds more EPA personnel problems
One EPA employee spent up to six hours a day looking at pornography while on the job, and another employee has been allowed to work from home for years but had little to show for it, according to an ongoing internal investigation that the agency's inspector general will detail to Congress on Wednesday. Published May 6, 2014
Toothless EPA homeland security office bristles at oversight
When EPA officials began having doubts in 2012 about John Beale — a top adviser who bizarrely claimed he was missing work because he was on secret CIA spy missions — they didn't go to the agency's inspector general for an investigation. Published May 5, 2014
White House sued over official’s email records
A top White House science official who warned colleagues against using personal email to conduct government business has been doing it himself, according to accusations in a lawsuit filed Monday. Published May 5, 2014
Investigator to testify EPA officials obstructed probe
A government investigator will tell Congress this week how her probe into an Environmental Protection Agency office was obstructed by top agency officials including the current agency chief. Published May 4, 2014
Government media board facing inquiry over hiring protocol
The Broadcasting Board of Governors, the more than $700 million international media arm of the federal government, is facing an IRS audit over its longstanding policy of using purchase orders to hire hundreds of journalists, according to records. Published May 1, 2014
Space X lawsuit grounds Russian rocket engine buys
A federal judge has granted an injunction that keeps a Boeing-Lockheed Martin joint venture from procuring Russian-made rocket engines used in some U.S. military satellite launches. Published May 1, 2014
EPA chief Gina McCarthy intervened to halt internal inquiry
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy personally intervened to delay an inspector general's investigation into the agency's homeland security division, records show. Published April 29, 2014
Consumer protection board under fire for suspected violations of Hatch act
Already under fire for accusations of retaliation and discrimination, the Consumer Financial Protection Board now faces a congressional inquiry into whether officials there violated the law that bars partisan activity in the federal workplace. Published April 24, 2014