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Bloch Pushed Underlings To Counter Negative Press With Comment Posts
We just learned that the head of the U.S. Office of Special Council, whose office and home were raided by federal agents last month, had a habit of instructing employees to go online and post comments rebutting news stories that he perceived as negative, according to a report from CongressDaily
"That did go on," said a former employee who has been involved in the activity. "Bloch would suggest posting things in the comments section. ... There'd be a negative article about Scott's involvement on something ... and [the] comment would be something like 'This Bloch guy is doing a good job." Two former OSC employees have gone so far as to describe Bloch as thin-skinned and "obsessed" with his press coverage.
Admittedly, Bloch has gotten some bad press in recent years. The man running the office in charge of investigating whistle-blower complaints, Bloch himself came under investigation in 2005 for retaliating against whistle blowers.
Then the feds got involved, suspicious that he was obstructing justice when he had a firm called "Geeks on Call" delete a batch of office emails potentially related to the investigation.
Meanwhile, through it all, Bloch still found time to worry about what everyone is saying about him, especially in his home state.
The employee suggested at least one OSC worker posted comments on the Web sites of such publications as the Washington Post, Topeka Capital-Journal, and the Lawrence Journal World. The two Kansas-based publications have written about Bloch because he is from the state.In another instance confirmed by CongressDaily, an OSC employee who has not served in the military identified himself as "A Combat Vet" in an online response to a July 13, 2007, article on GovernmentExecutive.com. In the article, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Republicans faulted Bloch for his use of personal e-mail to discuss agency business.
The anonymous posting said news organizations were devoting too little coverage to OSC's enforcement of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, which bars discrimination against people based on service in the armed services.
"Where is the coverage of USERRA?" the posting asked. "OSC helped my buddy out when he couldn't get his job back, and it doesn't seem like anybody is checking into how it helps veterans. ... Who the hell cares if Bloch sent an email about congresscritters goofing off and playing pattycake. This USERRA issue is a huge deal for us who served. Does anyone give a crap?"
TPMmuckraker has tracked Bloch's travails pretty closely over the past several months. We don't have any indication his underlings were posting comments here -- but it does make us curious.





Comments (29)
So... was this done AFTERhours, or on OUR time?
Just wondering how much money the feds will be giving back to "We the Taxpayers"
Oh yeh, I forget... "We the Taxpayers" aren't important enough to ever get money back....
June 13, 2008 7:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
This story is way out of line. Mr. Bloch is a fine man who did a fantastic job at the OSC. All the nonsense about the so-called "laws" he violated is just part of a partisan witch hunt.
You know, the OSC helped my buddy out when he couldn't get his job back, and it doesn't seem like anybody is checking into how it helps veterans.
June 13, 2008 9:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Mr. Bloch saved Mr. Wiggles, my kitten when it was stuck in a tree that was on fire. He's excellent with CPR!
June 13, 2008 10:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
This allegation of Mr. Bloch's allies being schooled to write positive comments whenever he got bad press is way out of line. Mr. Bloch is a fine man who did a fantastic job at the OSC. All the brouhaha about the so-called "laws" he violated is just which part of a partisan hunt?
June 13, 2008 11:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am kind of wondering why he still has job....even if it only untill Jan. I foresee that he does indeed have a future as whistleblower. Complaining about the conditions of the Federal facility he is soon to be a resident of.
June 13, 2008 11:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bloch is a perfect case of Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
June 14, 2008 12:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
Scott Bloch is the kind of man I hope my kids use as a role model if I ever have any. He is a great boss (or so I've heard!), helps old ladies across the street, and did not kick that puppy to my knowledge. He has the softest hands of anyone I've ever met! In a good way.
June 14, 2008 1:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
Paid Freepers. Told ya!
June 14, 2008 5:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
... Who the hell cares if Bloch pushed underlings to counter negative press with comment posts. This USERRA issue is a huge deal for us who pretend to have served. Does anyone give a crap?
June 14, 2008 5:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wow. Commenting at work always makes me feel unprofessional, and I don't have nearly the responsibilities of the OSC. But commenting at the behest of my boss would make me feel sick.
June 14, 2008 9:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
This Bloch guy is doing a great job!
June 14, 2008 11:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
Bloch is such a great hero that I saw him:
----put on a boy scout uniform, build a fire, and also help sandbag the dikes in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, after they got flooded on Thursday night;
----I also can testify that Bloch actually went into a phone booth, came out wearing a cape and saved a little old lady from crossing the street in front of a pack of skateboarding hooligans;
----Bloch has also pulled kittens out of trees for little girls and sold his Cadillac to buy roofing materials for Habitat for Humanity;
----I'm pretty sure Bloch, also....eats apple pie, hotdogs, and drives a Chevrolet to every baseball game in his area.
June 14, 2008 12:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
All this talk about Bloch is missing the point...he's a great guy and really helped out my underage daughter when she got in the 'family way' by arranging for a quiet visit to an upstate retreat for a few weeks. Why, without his help, our family would have been the shame of the town!
June 14, 2008 1:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think all this picking on that poor man is just terrible. Mr. Bloch is a fine man who did a fantastic job at the OSC. All the nonsense about the so-called "laws" he violated is just part of a partisan witch hunt.
June 14, 2008 1:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
anybody who says that scott bloch was caught preforming oral sex on caged goats is lying. mr bloch is a wonderful man, and would never molest a goat without the goat's permission
June 14, 2008 3:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
molest a goat
Hey, the goat came on to him
June 14, 2008 6:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is just another partisan witch hunt by the liberal elite NY media. Mr. Bloch has done nothing wrong and should be commended for upholding his oath to the President.
June 14, 2008 5:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obviously said by a man without a soul. Scott Bloch is a great boss, and I'm proud to add my voice to those who decry these attacks by latte-sipping elitists. Just because you've never felt gratitude in your career doesn't mean we don't love our boss. I can't believe anyone would be so jaded as to believe we place these comments for any other reason than sincere, overflowing admiration for our boss, proud Kansan family man Scott Bloch.
June 15, 2008 12:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
Bloch gives better massages than any other boss I have had.
June 15, 2008 12:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bloch very generously supports perverts down on their luck. He was delighted to be able to give a $100k no-show consulting job to the former headmaster of his son's private school in PA after said headmaster was fired for molestating a student.
June 15, 2008 1:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
When my flashing rain coat wore through in the front . . . Mr Bloch gave me the money to buy a new one . . .
Seriously, Bastille Day is coming up in a month . . . Let's show the French that we can party like its the late 1700's . . .
Sigh.
June 15, 2008 4:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't mean to be a paid GOP stooge but....uh....well, "did I tell about the time when Block actually took time to teach JESUS CHRIST himself, how to walk on water, change water into wine, and turn one fish, into hundreds of fish and chips dinners for hungry slackers on the banks of Gallilee?
I don't mean to blow the GOP horn...but...uh...well...I heard Bloch also "commanded the space shuttle with Elvis and JFK" while whistling the star spangled banner before parting the red sea.
June 16, 2008 1:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Toby-
Did Scott tell you to do your positive post? Did you do your post after hours? The New York Media reference smells like Bushies on call.
June 16, 2008 4:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ironically, this report has now caused a 5000% jump in positive posts about Bloch on TPM.
June 16, 2008 5:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Heck of a job, Blochie.
June 16, 2008 6:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey what's wrong with helping the boss out?
Sockpuppets?
So what? Just good hearted souls trying to help out.
.
June 16, 2008 8:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
agave is right!
.
June 16, 2008 8:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
More oil more gooder. Drill.
yours,
Generic Suckpump Bushloving Government Underling (don't want our overlord masters of future cronyhiringism to think the rest of us are slacking off tonight!)
June 16, 2008 9:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
He is a fine, upstanding boy.
I know, because I am his mother!
June 16, 2008 11:02 PM | Reply | Permalink