Management

Senate confirms Biden’s ethics czar, who will remain under Trump

Senate Democrats use dwindling floor time to confirm a new head for the government's ethics office, with whom Trump administration often butted heads in his first term.

Management

Ethics office clears federal official for his Project 2025 involvement

The agency leader wrote a chapter for the document but did not break any ethics laws in doing so, OGE says.

Workforce

Does the Hatch Act apply to you? Election season do's and don'ts

The first installment in a series about the rules and policies federal employees should know ahead of the elections.

Workforce

Can federal employees volunteer for political campaigns and make contributions? Election season do's and don'ts

The second installment in a series about the rules and policies federal employees should know ahead of the elections.

Workforce

Can federal employees take part in political campaign activities? Election season do’s and don’ts

The third installment in a series about the rules and policies federal employees should know ahead of the elections.

Workforce

How does telework affect the Hatch Act? Election season do’s and don’ts

The fourth installment in a series about the rules and policies federal employees should know ahead of the elections.

Management

Lawmakers look to ban foreign payments to senior feds

Top federal executives would not be able to "betray the public's trust" under Democratic bill.

Management

VA’s work with outside vendors draws lawmaker scrutiny over conflicts of interest

Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., said VA’s claim it “had no occasions” where it identified an actual or potential conflict of interest with its contractors was “not believable.” 

Oversight

The Biden administration is without a confirmed ethics czar

This is the first time in five years that the federal government's ethics agency has been without a confirmed director. Trump holdover Emory Rounds stepped down when his term expired earlier this month.

Management

A new bipartisan bill looks to thwart financial conflicts of interest for top government officials

“The bipartisan HONEST Act will provide greater transparency and safeguard public interest by establishing clear guidelines that prioritize the American people,” said Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y.

Oversight

Federal Officials’ Financial and Ethics Docs Would Be Easier to Find Under a New Bill

The legislation would fix the “labyrinthian process of requesting them,” said Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette, of the nonprofit Project on Government Oversight.

Management

How do You Oversee Money That's Hard to Track?

The Project on Government Oversight's Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette joins the podcast to discuss how to minimize fraud in government spending.

Oversight

What Federal Employees Need to Know About Giving and Receiving Gifts in the Workplace

For ethics purposes, there are restrictions on what gifts federal workers and mail carriers can accept.

Oversight

Trump to Be Subpoenaed by Jan. 6 Panel as the ‘Central Cause’ of Capitol Insurrection

Cheney: Committee will consider criminal referrals for ‘multiple individuals,’ recommend legislative proposals to guard against similar attack in the future

Workforce

GovExec Daily: Can Members of Congress Trade Stocks Using Insider Information?

Rep. Abigail Spanberger joins the podcast to discuss why legislators have more lax rules around ethics than federal employees.

Oversight

Justice Department to Appeal Trump Special Master Order

Government prosecutors ask U.S. District Judge Cannon not to force them to hand over classified records seized in Aug. 8 search of Mar-a-Lago while appeal is pending

Workforce

GovExec Daily: The Law That Transformed the Civil Service

Tom Shoop joins the podcast to discuss the Pendleton Act

Management

What’s Next after the FBI Search of Trump’s Residence?

"What we do know is that they were executing a search warrant that suggested they had probable cause to believe that evidence would be found for three different crimes."