State Department watchdog finds Trump appointees smeared career employee
Source: CNN
Washington (CNN)High-ranking Trump administration political appointees within the State Department improperly retaliated against a career civil servant, according to a long-anticipated report by the department's watchdog released Thursday. According to the report, the appointees acted against the career official --an Iran expert in the Office of Policy Planning during Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's tenure -- due to false perceptions about her political views and her ethnicity.
The incident was one of five cases the State Department Office of Inspector General (OIG) examined in its more than a year-long probe into "allegations of improper personnel practices involving the Office of the Secretary." The investigation did not find evidence of improper practices in two of those cases, and findings were inconclusive in the other two. The report recommended disciplinary action for those who improperly retaliated.
The release of the report comes as the State Department has become embroiled in the House impeachment inquiry and career diplomats involved in that probe have found themselves targets of political attacks by the President Donald Trump and his allies. Morale within the career ranks of the department has plummeted. On Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo downplayed reports of low morale as "more Washington insidery stuff."
It is also the second report from the inspector general's office on retaliation at the Department. The first, released in mid-August, found that top officials in the State Department's Bureau of International Organization Affairs subjected employees to "disrespectful and hostile treatment," accusations of disloyalty, and retaliation. The report also said the bureau's leadership "did not take significant action" to address these concerns.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/14/politics/inspector-general-report-retaliation-state-department/index.html
Ever since Tillerson had originally been appointed, there were many reports of career diplomats who were horrified, upset, and/or leaving. So now with Pompeo, I'm surprised that they are reporting that the "morale has plummeted", because it had already descended into the pits 3 years ago.
This dovetails with the trashing and eventual reassignment of Ambassador (to Ukraine) Marie Yovanovitch , who I believe is supposed to testify publicly tomorrow.
keithbvadu2
(36,369 posts)In the Trump WH, that means it's time to fire the watchdog.
BumRushDaShow
(127,312 posts)Michael Atkinson (who is an IG in DOJ) - https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-wanted-to-fire-intelligence-watchdog-whistleblower-complaint-2019-11 so wouldn't put it past him in this case either.
Dennis Donovan
(18,770 posts)Eight more witnesses will testify next week: Jennifer Williams and Alexander Vindman on Tuesday morning, Kurt Volker and Tim Morrison on Tuesday afternoon; Gordon Sondland on Wednesday morning and Laura Cooper and David Hale on Wednesday afternoon; and Fiona Hill on Thursday.
BumRushDaShow
(127,312 posts)And as I understand it too, there will be some new witnesses deposed tomorrow (apparently afternoon) behind closed doors - the one(s) who overheard the phone call from the President while some of the state department staff/delegation were dining at a restaurant.