Energy Department officials told subordinates not to speak with congressional investigators regarding their inquiry into illicit hiring practices and allegations of retaliation against whistle-blowers, according to the Washington Free Beacon.
The Free Beacon obtained a letter from California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa claiming that the deputy secretary of energy issued a gag order following a DOE inspector general report that the Bonneville Power Administration violated department hiring guidelines and disadvantaged military veterans.
Issa’s letter revealed that Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman “verbally instructed Elliot Mainzer, the individual [Poneman] chose to serve as acting administrator of BPA, that no BPA employees were to talk with anyone regarding these allegations, including congressional investigators.”
Those at BPA who cooperated with the inspector general were fired, suspended, or sanctioned, according to the IG’s report.
“Obstructing a congressional investigation is a crime,” Issa added. “Additionally, denying or interfering with employees’ rights to furnish information to Congress is against the law.”
“Any attempt to ‘gag’ employees from communicating with Congress would be a gross violation of law,” Stephen Kohn, executive director of the National Whistleblower Center, told the Free Beacon. “It is highly illegal for any federal agency to attempt to prevent employees or contractors from communicating whistleblower concerns with Members of Congress or an Inspector General. If true, this conduct by government officials would be intolerable.”
“BPA employees have the right to talk with Congress and to provide Congress information free from interference by the Department of Energy,” Issa’s letter continued. “These employees also have a right to be free from fear of retaliation for sharing information with Congress.”
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