Source:
ReutersWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Interior Department said on Friday it took disciplinary action against government workers who had sex, used drugs and took gifts from employees of regulated oil and gas companies.
The punishments stem from an investigation by the department's inspector general, who found there was "a culture of substance abuse and promiscuity" among employees at the department's Minerals Management Service, which handles billions of dollars in oil and natural gas supplies that are turned over by companies as in-kind royalty payments for drilling on federal lands.
The scandal shocked Congress, which held several hearings on the matter and proposed legislation to clean up the agency. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne testified at the time that he was "outraged" by the government workers accused of wrongdoing and their "abuse of the public trust."
The disciplinary measures ranged from a letter of warning and reprimand up to and including permanent reassignment from the agency's royalty-in-kind program, suspension without pay, demotion to a lower pay grade and being fired.
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The oil companies named in the inspector general's report were Chevron, Shell Oil and Gary Williams Energy Corp. Hess Corp was accused of providing gifts to MMS employees.
Read more:
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE4AK6U520081121
note to mods: this story is 6 hours past the deadline, but I only now found it - and I searched for it in LBN -
this is a great example of the failure of our governmental employees and any safeguards in place to protect the citizens from their corruption - bad deeds get no punishment - reprimands and reassignment? give me a break!