Criminal review of scandal-ridden agency an easy call for Salazar (Rocky Mtn News)

[struggle4progress]

By Rob Reuteman, Rocky Mountain News
Published January 31, 2009 at 12:05 a.m.

Announcing a criminal review this week of the sex-drugs-oil scandal at a federal agency in Lakewood may be one of the easiest calls Ken Salazar gets to make as Interior secretary ...

The Bush-Cheney Justice Department declined to bring charges against two managers the inspector general recommended be prosecuted. The IG, Earl Devaney, even told a congressional committee in September, "I would have liked a more aggressive approach, and I would have liked to have seen some other people prosecuted here" ...

Devaney conducted a two-year probe, costing $5.3 million. Among other things he found that MMS employees "frequently consumed alcohol at industry functions, had used cocaine and marijuana and had sexual relationships with oil and gas company representatives" ...

Devaney's reports did allege that MMS employees rigged contracts, worked part time as private oil consultants and accepted ski and golf trips and dinners from oil and gas executives in addition to having sex with them. One would reasonably expect we got fleeced in the process ...

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2009/jan/31/reuteman-criminal-review-of-scandal-ridden-an/

[otohara]

1. Just Glad He's Not in Senate Anymore

good bye, good riddance - hope he does a better job as SOI