Pride At Work

Pride At Work, D.C.
501 3rd Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001

March 13, 2007

The Office of the Special Counsel was created to enforce civil rights and protect whistleblowers in the federal workforce. In the past, the office has proved an important tool in reducing fraud and stopping discrimination inside the government.

But in the past three years, it has been transformed into an office rife with cronyism, secrecy, inefficiency, and bigotry. Under special counsel Scott Bloch, it has become a launching pad for attacks on civil and workers' rights. Its mission has been distorted and weakened.

The undue influence of partisan and ideological demands during this administration and the de facto removal of whistleblower protections have created an adverse climate for professional public servants. Incidents such as the recent firings of the U.S. attorneys highlight the premium on ideological control during this administration. And it foregrounds the dangers of reprisal. Scott Bloch and his mismanagement at the Office of Special Counsel are an integral part of these problems.

Scott Bloch took office in January 2004. Soon he removed anti-discrimination protections for gay and lesbian federal workers. Even Bloch's bosses in the Bush White House have said, "Longstanding federal policy prohibits discrimination against federal employees based on sexual orientation. President Bush expects federal agencies to enforce this policy and to ensure that all federal employees are protected from unfair discrimination at work."

It seems Mr. Bloch has decided that he is superior to this instruction, past precedent, and the values of ordinary, hard-working Americans. His actions convey a staggering arrogance: that he has the power to ignore policies he dislikes and inject prejudice into official, taxpayer-funded duties.

But Bloch did not stop at defending anti-gay bias.

In an effort to appear productive and reduce a large backlog of whistleblower cases, Bloch has eliminated more than 600 cases without investigation. Whistleblower cases can uncover misuse of government funds and improper contracts awarded to private companies. Such complaints deserve investigation, not sweeping under the carpet.

Mr. Bloch has undermined the mission of the OSC by lashing out at agency workers. He informed 12 members of the OSC's legal and investigative staff that they were to accept involuntary transfers to various branch offices. He gave them 10 days to decide if they wanted to move and keep their job or be unemployed. The actions of Scott Bloch set a horrible example to federal workers and all Americans of good conscience. Why would anyone contact the Office of the Special Counsel to pursue claims of wrongful retaliation, knowing that the director has punished his own employees on the flimsiest suspicions?

We appreciate that the Office of Personnel Management is investigating Bloch’s mismanagement. Yet even that inquiry has encountered barriers and uncovered manipulation by Bloch and underlings in his office. How extreme and egregious does the misuse of office and the abuse of committed public servants have to be, and how long does it have to continue, before Congress tells the Administration: "Enough! A more suitable appointee needs to be named"?

It is time to restore the Office of the Special Counsel to its mission. It is time to stop the damage that Bloch has inflicted on civil and workers' rights. Public officials should promote, not pervert, the American way.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to answering any questions you or your staff might have regarding this important and pressing issue.

In solidarity,

Pride At Work, D.C. Officers:

Larry Smoot Hans Johnson Connie Cordovilla Jeremy Bishop