Scott Bloch

Congress Daily: White House Fires Scott Bloch

Kate Klonick | October 23, 2008, 4:18PM

Apparently there's more to Scott Bloch's resignation as head of U.S. Special Counsel that meets the eye. According to the National Journal's Congress Daily, Bloch was fired today in a meeting with White House officials.

From Congress Daily:

Scott Bloch, the embattled head of the U.S. Special Counsel, was fired today in a meeting with White House officials, according to several sources. Bloch is under federal investigation for possible obstruction of justice for destroying computer files sought by investigators in prior probe into whether he retaliated illegally against whistleblowers in his office. On Monday Bloch announced plans to resign on Jan. 5. OSC employees said Federal Protective Service employees barred Bloch from his office today. The agency has an all-hands meeting at 4 p.m.

Scott Bloch

Bloch Out: U.S. Special Counsel To Resign

Zachary Roth | October 21, 2008, 10:05AM

Scott Bloch, a TPMmuckraker favorite who in July had said publicly that he had no plans to resign as U.S. special counsel, will in January do exactly that, reports the Associated Press.

It adds:

In 2004, Bloch was put in charge of the [Office of Special Counsel], whose mission is to protect the rights of federal workers and ensure that government whistle-blowers are not subjected to reprisals. But almost from the start, Bloch himself was a subject of investigations, including for closing hundreds of cases allegedly without investigating them and for allegedly retaliating against employees.

Bloch did investigate General Service Chief (and another TPMmuckraker fave) Lurita Doan, a probe which led to a wider invesitgation into whether administration employees were illegally working to support Republican political candidates.

But an investigation was launched by the Office of Personnel Management into Bloch's own conduct, after OSC staffers complained that Bloch intimidated and transferred employees who opposed his policies. Bloch was also accused of not protecting gay federal employees from discrimination. In April 2007, the FBI raided Bloch's office and home, after he had been accused of destroying evidence and lying to Congress during the probe.

Bloch told congressional investigators that in December 2006, he used $1,149 in federal money to have a tech company scrub his government laptop computer. He said it was dne to protect government and personal information.

Lurita Doan

Lurita Loses It Over Waxman's Report

Kate Klonick | October 16, 2008, 1:43PM

Lurita Doan, the former administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA), is a favorite of TPMmuckraker -- not just because she's sufficiently steeped in controversy, but because she makes for some great TPMtv.

Well today, Lurita decided to make us some great PDFs.

The House Oversight Report released yesterday found that the White House had enlisted government agencies -- like the GSA, led by Doan at the time -- to assist Republicans running for re-election. You might remember Doan as the agency head who had the good sense to ask Karl Rove's aide Scott Jennings, "how 'we' could help 'our candidates' in the next election" in front of a roomful of assembled officials.

Doan wrote a angry two-page response to Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, defending herself. For the world's viewing pleasure, she sent a copy of that letter to FedBlog, who wasted no time in posting it.

"Most Americans have grown familiar with your lack of candor, misleading statements, and bitter partisan machinations, and certainly, your report serves as yet another example of the same ol' same ol' from Henry Waxman," Doan begins her letter.

"You, quite shamefully, decided to ignore it," Doan continues, after laying out her version of events. "You didn't want the truth; you wanted a highly charged misinterpretation so that you could weave your idea of political gold."

Doan also criticizes the investigation of Office of Special Counsel Director Scott Bloch, who she claims "directed federal employees, on government time to pen anonymous blogs to further disparage my character and distort the facts for your direct benefit."

"Are you aware," she continues, "one of Mr. Bloch's federal bloggers penned especially negative attacks and disguised himself 'a combat veteran'. [sic] How utterly craven."

But really, our favorite part is the finale where she begs for a chance to go in front of the Committee again.

I now understand you and your ubiquitous hypocrisy. I know how your witch hunts and kangaroo courts work. So please, invite me to testify. I can't wait.

We can only hope, Lurita.

Read Doan's letter to Waxman, in all its glory, here.