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Ethics Office Backs Interior Official 民族

游客2024-01-01  22
问题                   Ethics Office Backs Interior Official
                     民族部支持内政部的官员
    The Office of Government Ethics said the Interior Department’s No. 2 official, Steven Griles, did not appear to violate ethics rules by arranging meetings between Interior officials and his former lobbying clients and partners.
    The office, after reviewing an 18-month investigation by the Interior Department’s inspector general, said it found no ethics violations by Griles in the department’s awarding of more than $1.6 million i contracts in 2001 and 2002 to Advanced Power Technologies Inc., a former client.
    Interior Department Inspector General Earl Devaney said Griles’ behavior is the latest case of an Interior official falling to consider perceived impropriety in his actions. He also called the department’s underfunded ethics office "a train wreck waiting to happen. "
    Interior Secretary Gale Norton and Republicans in Congress said the report clears Griles of any wrongdoing. Griles is gratified by the finding that he had "adhered to ethics laws and rules. "
    "I am glad this matter is behind me," he saiD．
    Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., called Devaney’s report a case of the "foxes guarding the foxes," saying the questionable conduct and special treatment given to Griles’ former clients "cannot help but leave a sour taste in the mouth of anyone who believes in the fairness of government. "
    Environmentalists had alleged that Griles helped former clients land government contracts, intervened in an environmental study of coalbed methane development in Wyoming, and held a dinner for senior department officials at the home of his former lobbying partner.
    Two matters—the coalbed methane analysis and the Interior Department dinner—were referred to Norton by the Office of Government Ethics for possible action. Norton said they had been adequately addresseD．
    "This closes the issue," Norton said in a statement.
    Kristen Sykes of Friends of the Earth disagreed and said Griles should be fireD．
    "It uncovers regular and consistent breaches of Griles’ ethics agreements and , more importantly, blatant violations of the public’s trust," she saiD．"If this White House is serious about ethics and accountability, Mr. Griles should be dismissed immediately. "
    Devaney did not draw conclusions in his report, but said in a letter to the department that regardless of whether Griles broke the law, the appearance of wrongdoing erodes public trust.
    "This is the only one in a series of cases in which we have observed an institutional failure to consider the appearance of a particular course of conduct," he wrote. "It is my hope, however, that this may be the case that changes the ethical culture in the department. "
    Last month, Devaney cleared the department’s former top lawyer, Bill Myers, of allegations that his official actions benefited former lobbying clients. An investigation is under way into whether Bureau of Land Management Director Kathleen Clarke violated ethics rules by participating in meetings regarding a land exchange in Utah, where she was the state’s director of natural resources.
    Griles continues to receive $284,000 a year as part of a four-year severance package from his former lobbying firm.
    In April 2002, the Environmental Protection Agency was about to object to an environmental study of coalbed methane drilling in Wyoming when Griles interveneD．In a phone call and letter, he urged EPA to resolve its differences to keep the project on track. At least six of Griles’s former clients had interest in the project.
    Devaney also found that Interior Department officials sought out projects to award to one of Griles’ former clients, Advanced Power Technologies, Inc., ather than letting APTI compete for existing projects.
    After joining the Interior Department, Griles held a dinner party for senior department officials at the home of his former lobbying partner, Marc Himmelstein.Assistant Secretary Rebecca Watson, told Devaney she believed it was improper and could give the appearance of favoritism. Griles said it was a social event that he would have hosted at his home if he had space.
    Devaney said ethics issues can arise with any appointee, but neglect and a lack of funding have left the Interior Department’s enthics office unable to shepherd officials through the ethics minefield． [br] What, according to Devaney, seemed to be the causes of ethics problems with the Interior Department?
选项 A、Seeking out projects for former clients.
B、Holding dinner parties at the home of former lobbying partners.
C、Practicing favoritism.
D、Having insufficient funding.
答案 D
解析
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