Office of Special Counsel
Since Scott Bloch was confirmed as head of the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), GAP has learned of numerous whistleblowers that filed disclosures and complaints with the OSC, only to get no response whatsoever. GAP's goal is to alert Congress that OSC is not fulfilling its mission.
On Tuesday, May 23, 2005 GAP took a major step toward reaching that goal in a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Oversight Subcommittee hearing, during which Bloch testified about his agency's recent conduct. This included answering questions regarding his retaliation against OSC investigators who themselves blew the whistle on case-dumpings that plague the agency. Many senators had harsh words and tough questions for Bloch, who was forced to answer to legislators for removing important employment discrimination information from the OSC Web site. Click here to read GAP's press release about Bloch padding his actions before the hearing.
Fact Sheet on Scott Bloch
GAP-PEER Letter to Congress Regarding Bloch
Official Complaint Against Scott Bloch
Action Alert!: Calling All OSC Filers! (April 2005)
Program Highlight: Bloch Out as Special Counsel
October 24, 2008 -- GAP is applauding the White House decision to remove Special Counsel Scott Bloch yesterday. GAP has been a persistent critic of Bloch during his tenure.
Click here to read GAP's press release
Click here to read GAP's detailed testimony on this issue from a July 12, 2007 oversight hearing on the office
Program Highlight: OSC Filing Challenges Aviation Security
May 12, 2008 -- Today, GAP) filed a whistleblowing disclosure on behalf of Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employee and aviation security expert Bodgan Dzakovic, with the United States Office of Special Counsel. Dzakovic charges that TSA has reneged on its reform commitments to correct confirmed security breakdowns from his last whistleblowing disclosure, and that further mismanagement has left aviation security weaker than prior to the 9/11 attacks.
Click here to read the full press release
Program Highlight: FBI Agents Raid Office of Special Counsel
May 6, 2008 -- The Wall Street Journal has reported that “more than a dozen” FBI agents served grand jury subpoenas this morning while searching the U.S. Office of Special Counsel and the home of Special Counsel Scott Bloch. According to the Journal, OSC employees say the raid is in connection with allegations of obstruction of justice by Bloch, who in 2006 used a computer service, Geeks on Call, to completely erase his work computer's hard drive. Bloch asked the company to eradicate his computer’s files as he was being investigated by the Office of Personnel Management Inspector General in connection with a complaint submitted by a group of anonymous OSC employees, GAP, the Project On Government Oversight, and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.
Last week, attorney Debra Katz, who represents the groups and the anonymous OSC employees, sent a comprehensive summary of Bloch’s abuses during his tenure to President Bush, and called on the President to use his authority to remove the Special Counsel “for cause.”
Click here to read Katz’ letter
Program Highlight: Over 60 Federal Employee Whistleblowers Petition Congress to Reform Office of Special Counsel
April 10, 2008 -- GAP is supporting the renewed call for reform by “OSC Watch,” a new organization of federal employees who are demanding that OSC begin to fulfill its mandate to protect government whistleblowers.
Click here to see the petition
Click here to visit OSC Watch
Program Highlight: Special Counsel Exempts Air Marshal Service from Whistleblower Law
March 18 2008 -- GAP and Federal Air Marshal Frank Terreri responded today to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel’s recent resolution of Mr. Terreri’s whistleblowing disclosure.
Click here to read GAP's full press release
Click here to read the full DHS Report
Click here to read Terreri’s full comments
Click here to read the OSC’s Analysis
Click here to read the OSC’s letter to President Bush
Program Highlight: House Committee Seeks Interview from Special Counsel
December 6, 2007 -- Today, Chairman Henry Waxman and Ranking Member Tom Davis of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee sent a letter to Special Counsel Scott Bloch requesting a “transcribed interview” concerning Bloch’s use of an IT service, Geeks on Call, to permanently remove documents on Bloch’s office computer. For well over two years, Bloch has been under investigation for allegedly retaliating against a group of anonymous OSC employees. The allegations about the “seven-level wipe" on Bloch’s office computer, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, raise further concerns that this activity obstructed the pending investigation.
Click here to read the letter
Program Highlight: OSC's Questionable Job Announcement
July 18, 2007 -- GAP and Public Employees for Environmental Protection (PEER) released a statement today concerning a recent, questionable job announcement posted by the Office of Special Counsel (OSC). Special Counsel Scott Bloch, who is responsible to enforce laws prohibiting political misuse of the merit system, appears to be continuing with his pattern of relying on non-competitive hiring to fill career civil service jobs with favored candidates.
Click here for the statement
Bloch is already under investigation for similar allegations that he violated the merit system, whistleblower, and free speech laws he is charged with enforcing in the rest of the government. The investigation is being conducted by the President’s Council on Integrity and Efficiency (PCIE). There is evidence that Special Counsel Bloch’s immediate subordinates attempted to intimidate potential OSC witnesses and obstruct the PCIE investigation. Bloch has denied these allegations, repeatedly noting that any OSC intervention with the investigation has been delegated to “career staff,” and specifically to the Deputy Special Counsel. This defense is misleading. PEER’s research demonstrates that every Deputy Special Counsel that has performed the role of intermediary between OSC and the PCIE investigation was hand-selected by Special Counsel Bloch, and therefore should not have been in that position.
Program Highlight: House to Hold Oversight Hearing on OSC Tomorrow
July 11, 2007 -- GAP Legislative Representative Adam Miles will testify at an oversight hearing on the U.S. Office of Special Counsel on Thursday, July 12. Chairman Danny Davis (D-IL) wrote to GAP that “the purpose of the hearing is to examine how the Office of Special Counsel and the Merit Systems Protection Board are meeting their statutory mission and safeguarding the federal government’s merit-based system of employment.”
Click here to read GAP's press release.
Requesting Your OSC Stories!
June 28, 2007 -- GAP has been invited to testify at a July 12 hearing on the performance of the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC). We are reaching out to all federal employees who sought out OSC for assistance to respond to a brief questionnaire about their experience with the agency. GAP needs your responses by July 6, 2007.
Click here to read a more thorough explanation and to read the survey!
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