Shocked, Shocked: Sr. Interior Appointee Cited 2X In 6 Months For Serious Ethics Violations

WASHINGTON — A senior Department of Interior official violated federal ethics rules by using his position to try to get a family member a job at the Environmental Protection Agency, the Interior Department’s internal watchdog said in a report published Friday. The conclusion marked the second time in six months that the internal investigator has admonished the official, Douglas W. Domenech, an assistant interior secretary for the office that oversees the nation’s oceans and coasts, for serious ethics violations. Top Democrats and environmental groups called for David Bernhardt, the interior secretary, to fire Mr. Domenech.

The Interior Department inspector general’s newest report concluded that Mr. Domenech misused his office in 2017 when he used his title and position to press the hiring of his family member, first at a concert and later by email. He also appeared to misuse his position to promote another family member’s wedding business to E.P.A. officials, the investigation found. “The evidence established that Domenech used his title and permitted the use of his title to further family member 1’s interests,” the report found, without identifying the relative.

By using his title and government email to correspond about his relative’s job prospects, and by taking advantage of his position to connect with a senior E.P.A. official about his family member’s application, investigators said Mr. Domenech violated ethics rules “by using his position for family member 1’s private gain.”

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Mr. Domenech is the father of Ben Domenech, a co-founder of The Federalist and the husband of Meghan McCain. The E.P.A. did not respond to a request for comment. The Interior Department’s inspector general report has been sent to the agency chief of staff for action. An Interior Department statement said Mr. Domenech had received additional ethics guidance and ethics training and that the department considered the matter resolved.

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https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/29/climate/interior-ethics.html