DOE says no retaliation took place; Issa maintains employees fear for jobs
Lachlan Markay
The Washington Free Beacon
7/25/2013
House investigators will hold a hearing next week regarding allegations that top Department of Energy (DOE) officials instructed agency employees not to speak with congressional investigators about an ongoing probe into agency hiring practices.
The hearing follows a back-and-forth between DOE officials and congressional investigators, who say the agency is attempting to stonewall its efforts to investigate allegations of whistleblower retaliation.
The alleged DOE gag order was revealed in a letter from House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R., Calif.) to Deputy Energy Secretary Daniel Poneman.
According to the letter, Poneman instructed the head of the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) not to speak with Issa or other congressional investigators about an inspector general report revealing illegal hiring practices at the BPA.
Eric Fygi, DOE’s deputy general counsel, denied agency wrongdoing in a Wednesday response to Issa…
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