Yesterday, CREW learned of yet more outrageous conduct by the former head of the General Services Administration (GSA) Lurita Doan. An investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) -- acting at the request of GSA’s inspector general -- concluded that there was absolutely no merit to Ms. Doan’s accusations that auditors at GSA’s OIG intimidated contracting officers assigned to a negotiation with Sun Microsystems. Ms. Doan had chaffed publically at the oversight conducted by GSA’s own inspector general, which included a critical look at Ms. Doan’s actions as GSA administrator. Apparently acting on the belief that the best defense is a good offense, Ms. Doan in response leveled accusations at the GSA OIG.

In writing to the OIG about the results of his investigation, David Williams described the Federal Acquisition Service as “dysfunctional,” the management structure at GSA as “virtually collapsed,” and stated that “GSA leadership appeared to be signaling its employees to favor the commercial interests of certain large vendors. The report from the Postal Service's OIG can be found

Corruption and political pressure in government contracting is nothing new. But what is new is the level it has reached in this administration, as documented by the investigation into the nation’s top contracting official, Lurita Doan. This investigation highlights the critical oversight role that inspectors general play, especially in the face of an administration that has declared itself immune from oversight.

The Inspector General from the GSA forwarded the information to Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA). That letter is here.