Oversight

Patent and Trademark Office Examiners Receive Monetary Awards With Insufficient Oversight

Some staff are allowed to make manual changes to their hours worked, while part-time patent examiners’ schedules are often not up to date in the awards calculation system.

Oversight

State Dept. IG: Appointees Retaliated Against Career Feds Over Perceived ‘Disloyalty’

Watchdog found multiple instances where career employees were retaliated against, or denied promotions, because of a perception that they were “Obama holdovers.”

Oversight

Lawmaker on USDA Office Relocations: 'This Fight is Not Over'

Department officials reaffirmed they will allow employees to change their mind about whether to move to Kansas City until late September, but management has resisted setting that in stone.

Oversight

USDA Office Relocations Are Illegal, IG Says

Agriculture Department counters that the spending law it allegedly violated is unconstitutional and therefore not binding.

Management

Watchdog Finds Flaws In Just 0.01% of IRS Purchase Card Transactions

The few violations that did occur over a recent six-month period included hand sanitizer and wipes.  

Workforce

Investigations Into Mistreatment of State Department Workforce are in ‘Final Stages,’ IG Says

The watchdog plans to unveil results of inquiries into political retaliation and the hiring freeze in coming weeks.

Oversight

Lawmaker Calls for Outside Investigation of Secret Border Patrol Facebook Group

The Homeland Security Department has condemned derogatory comments posted within the group and promised a review of its own.

Oversight

Former HUD Executive Indicted in Procurement Fraud Scheme

Eghbal “Eddie” Saffarinia, former assistant inspector general for IT, allegedly steered contracts to a friend’s company and failed to disclose cash payments.

Defense

Pentagon, Lockheed Martin Failed to Ensure Proper Parts for F-35

Watchdog questions adherence to contracts and performance incentives for Defense’s largest buy.

Management

Intel Community Watchdog Now Runs Revamped Whistleblower Center

Remake to ensure protected disclosures comes after shakeup at ombudsman’s program.  

Management

Homeland Security Watchdog Wades Into Debate Over Border Crisis

Management alert highlights dangerous overcrowding at El Paso processing center for undocumented detainees.