Federal Daily - October 22, 2008

Bloch Resigns as Special Counsel

Special Counsel Scott Bloch, who heads up the office tasked with protecting the rights of federal whistleblowers and overseeing Hatch Act compliance, announced on Oct. 20 that he will resign from office, effective Jan. 5. Appointed in 2004, Bloch chose to resign at the end of his five-year term rather than serve until a replacement was named. Bloch himself has been under federal scrutiny since Office of Special Counsel staffers complained that Bloch intimidated and transferred employees who opposed his policies. Critics also accused him of failing to protect the rights of gay federal employees, and earlier this year, the FBI raided Bloch’s office and home and seized computers and records. In his letter of resignation to President Bush, Bloch did not mention the investigations, but only that he wished to thank Bush “for the opportunity to serve in this important accountability role and to announce that I will be resigning as of the end of my five-year term.” To see Bloch’s letter, go to: www.osc.gov/documents/press/2008/Letter%20to%20
the%20President%2010-20-08.pdf.

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DoD Announces New Media Activity

DoD on Oct. 20 announced the activation of the Defense Media Activity (DMA), which will serve as the umbrella office for all internal DoD public information programs. The DMA will oversee the Army Broadcasting Service, Soldiers Radio/TV, the Soldiers Media Center, the Naval Media Center, the Air Force News Agency, Marine Corps internal information assets, the Army/Air Force Hometown News Service and the American Forces Information Service. DMA will be located at Ft. Meade, Md., beginning in 2011, DoD said in a statement. DMA will work under the direction of the assistant secretary of defense for public affairs. “This transformational change in public affairs will improve the effectiveness and efficiency of DoD’s internal communications capabilities while continuing to provide unparalleled support for those who serve our nation,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Robert T. Hastings. “Ensuring the continued free flow of timely and accurate news and information to our military personnel is the primary mission of DMA.” To see more, go to: www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=12295.

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Park Police Chief Job Vacant Again

The Department of Interior (DOI) is looking for a new U.S. Park Police chief after the former chief, Dwight Pettiford, quietly resigned earlier this month, according to documents posted Oct. 20 on the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) Web site. PEER said Park Police officers were verbally informed last week that Pettiford had accepted a security-related position elsewhere within DOI. Pettiford was removed from his duties in March following remarks he made to The Washington Post in an article about deficits in security on the National Mall. Pettiford was not the first Park Police chief to be sanctioned for making remarks to the Post. In 2004, Park Police Chief Teresa Chambers was fired when she talked about Park Police staffing shortages in an interview with the newspaper. Chambers, now a police chief in suburban Maryland, recently won a federal appeals court decision challenging her removal as illegal and unwarranted, and her case was remanded for further litigation. To see more, go to: www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=1120.

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