Pay & Benefits
Senate Will Soon Consider Extra Paid Leave and Ethics Crackdown for Feds
Final legislative details affecting feds for two sweeping packages winding their way to the Senate.
Oversight
It’s not Just Trump – Presidents and Politicians Have Long Shredded Etiquette
'Mind your manners' isn't just something your mother told you. Manners – and civility – are an essential component of how things get done in government, and the Founding Fathers knew it.
Management
The Government Donald Trump Left Behind
Trump ultimately fell short on many of his signature promises, but his administration’s successes in cutting taxes, rolling back regulations and reshaping the judiciary will cast a long shadow.
Oversight
Will Merrick Garland, Joe Biden’s Pick for Attorney General, Be Independent in that Role? History Says It’s Unlikely
History shows that attorneys general who are picked by – and serve at the pleasure of – the president are not as independent as they may be expected to be.
Management
Biden Issues Sweeping Ethics Plan for Appointees
Hours before departing the White House, former President Trump revoked his own ethics pledge, allowing current and former Trump appointees to immediately become lobbyists.
Oversight
Trump’s D.C. Hotel Under Renewed Scrutiny
The Capitol riots, Trump’s second impeachment and the upcoming change in administrations raise new questions about whether the General Services Administration will continue the lease.
Workforce
GovExec Daily: Feds' Anti-Gag Rights During the Transition
Government Accountability Project's Irvin McCullough and Aman Panjwani join the podcast to discuss whistleblower rights at the end of the Trump administration.
Defense
Viewpoint: Keep Politics Out of National-Security Advisory Boards
Trump’s appointment of loyalists to DHS and DOD boards sets a dangerous precedent.
Workforce
How Dozens of Trump’s Political Appointees Will Stay in Government After Biden Takes Over
Documents show that officials appointed by Trump who’d otherwise lose their jobs under Biden have been approved for permanent positions in federal agencies.
Tech
Did Trump Delay the Arrival of At-Home Coronavirus Testing?
Some experts think that at-home testing can stop coronavirus outbreaks, and that the government should have been doing more to produce the tests.
Management
Over 170 Groups Call for Biden Administration to Take Up Ethics Reforms Immediately
President-elect Biden addressed many of their concerns in his campaign platform and transition plan.
Oversight
Judge Orders the Release of Data on Emergency Loans for Small Businesses
A consortium of news organizations, including ProPublica, has won a legal fight against the Small Business Administration. It will now have to publicly release the names of borrowers who got government pandemic loans.
Management
Veterans Affairs Secretary Headlines GOP Fundraiser as COVID-19 Cases Surge
Electioneering by a cabinet secretary is unusual by historical standards, but Trump administration officials continue to show no reluctance to play politics.
Oversight
GovExec Daily: Reducing Lobbyist and Corporate Influence
Courtney Bublé joins the podcast to discuss a letter from House Democrats to Senate leadership urging against lobbyists in the executive branch.
Management
House Democrats Seek to Reduce Corporate Influence in the Federal Government
A group of progressive-leaning House Democrats urged the Senate to not confirm lobbyists or C-suite officials for political appointments.
Management
The Justice Department May Have Violated Attorney General Barr’s Own Policy Memo
In a memo from May, the attorney general reminded Justice Dept. prosecutors to avoid partisan politics. Then a U.S. attorney in Pennsylvania announced an election investigation that had partisan overtones.
Management
Trump’s Vaccine Czar Refuses to Give Up Stock in Drug Company Involved in His Government Role
The administration calls Moncef Slaoui, who leads its vaccine race, a “contractor” to sidestep rules against personally profiting from government positions. Slaoui owns $10 million in stock of a company working with his team to develop a vaccine.
Oversight
GovExec Daily: Career Feds and Political Interference
Eric Katz joins the podcast to discuss the investigations into interference into agency work.
Oversight
The Trump Administration Is Backing Out of a $647 Million Ventilator Deal After ProPublica Investigated the Price
The government overpaid by hundreds of millions for Philips ventilators, says a House investigation spurred by ProPublica reporting. Now that deal is off and Congress is scrutinizing other coronavirus deals made by trade adviser Peter Navarro.
Management