EPA gets slammed by U.S. Chamber of Commerce for inept handling of misconduct

In response to several recent unpopular proposed and finalized rules from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has fired back at the agency, highlighting key findings from a Washington Post article on its handling of employee misconduct.

The report, written by Lisa Rein, calls the agency out for its slow response to disciplinary measures following violations by employees. The Chamber of Commerce drew particular attention to an employee who was found to have a second private-sector job and to do work for that job during government hours. Since the discovery of misconduct, it took 11 months to begin the process of firing the individual, who is still being paid pending an appeal.

In another case, two employees were caught watching pornography while at work and were placed on administrative leave for a year -- still earning their $120,000 salaries, before the process of firing them began. One has since retired and the other continues to earn a salary while appealing the decision.

Both the report and the Chamber of Commerce’s release highlight the many transgressions of John Beale, who took paid leaves of absences claiming to work for the CIA -- and fraudulently drawing nearly $1 million in pay, bonuses and expenses -- as well as manipulating the EPA’s rule making process with a colleague.