Former aid to VP conducted secret investigation within interior dept

[The Straight Story]

Chief Appeals

By Daniel Pulliam
[e-mail]

Former National Park Police Chief Teresa Chambers is asking the Merit Systems Protection Board to reverse its initial decision to uphold her removal, citing 40 or more legal errors made by the judge and the agency.

The new appeal raises the issue that NPS Director Fran Mainella testified that she would reinstate Chambers, but was not allowed to, and that NPS Deputy Director Don Murphy failed to deliver a prepared performance evaluation for Chambers.

The appeal states that Paul Hoffman, a former aide to Vice President Cheney, violated due process by conducting a secret investigation within the Interior Department, which governs the National Park Service and Park Police. Hoffman also failed to question Chambers and did not present the charges against her so they could be contested.

Park Service spokesman David Barna said the agency had little to say about the appeal. "Chambers is no longer an employee of the Department of Interior. This is a personnel matter and we will have no additional comments," Barna said.

http://www.govexec.com/daileyfed/1204/121704lb.htm