
Top Interior official retaliated against whistleblower, watchdog says, The Hill
"The leader of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) retaliated against an employee who filed a complaint against him, according to an internal watchdog. The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for the Interior Department said in a new report that [former NASA astronaut and] USGS Director James Reilly had agency personnel reassign someone who had complained about him to a different job and concluded that the reassignment "qualified as personnel action under the [Whistleblower Protection Act]."
Alleged Reprisal by USGS Director, USGS OIG
Keith's 7:07 pm note: But wait, there's more:
- Trump official stalls polar bear study that could affect oil drilling in Alaska, Washington Post
- USGS chief: Coral killed by pineapples, goats (and climate), E&E News
- The Trump Team Has a Plan to Not Fight Climate Change, Wired
- Trump officials deleting mentions of 'climate change' from U.S. Geological Survey press releases, Science
Keith's 10:30 pm update: Looks like the political types at Department of the Interior are rather touchy about this - this is how they responded to a @NASA Watch tweet about this posting. FWiW - after 25 years of reading IG reports, they are rarely wrong.
The @doioig report is wrong in its legal & factual conclusions. The admin employee requested to be reassigned, pay and grade level maintained and still reported to a GS-15. As an astronaut, geologist, navy veteran & public servant, Dr. Reilly's record & tenure is above reproach.
— Interior Press Secretary (@DOIPressSec) October 30, 2020