An unnamed senior Department of Commerce official saw nothing wrong with her sons watching pornography on multiple government computers she had at home because it wasn’t during work hours or harming national security.
Investigators for the department’s inspector general said the woman “allowed her sons to download a very substantial amount of inappropriate materials,” according to a report released late Thursday following inquiries by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
She also told investigators “that she did not supervise members of her household when they utilized the government-owned desktop computer at [her] home, and noted that she knew only that the computers were being used.”
A story published last night by the DCNF was based on a summary of the report, which said the woman had seven government computers at her home.
“When asked if she thought it was appropriate to access a pornographic website from a government-owned computer, [she] stated that accessing such a site would be inappropriate either during work time or when it poses a security risk, but that otherwise she ‘would not feel like [she was] doing anything inappropriate based on what [she] know[s] about the policy is for – government equipment and the use – and the use of it.”
Investigators found graphic sexual images on two of the nine department computers she kept at her home from December 2012 to December 2014. They also found web sites featuring racial slurs had been accessed.
Investigators determined the official owned no personal computer at the time, and “treated her government-issued desktop computers as personal property.” The senior official told investigators one household member used the government-owned computers for about 20 hours a week.
The report said the woman may have violated federal obstruction of justice laws.
A spokeswoman for the Commerce Department said department officials are looking at their options.
“We concur with the OIG’s recommendations, including that the Department enhance its pertinent training and policies,” the department said in a statement. ” While we cannot comment on specific personnel matters, we are in the process of evaluating all appropriate action.
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