Environmental Protection Agency officials need to be fired for sexual misconduct, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform charged in a hearing Thursday.
One government official was promoted, rather than fired, despite at least 17 females employees’ sexual harassment claims beginning as early as 2009. Another two were caught watching porn and were put on paid leave.
“It is well past time someone is held accountable for these management failings,” said Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah. “We have a duty and obligation to the American taxpayer to fire the people who are abusing the system.”
Elijah Cummings, the committee’s top Democrat, was equally critical.
“There is no doubt that these employees should have been fired,” the Maryland congressman said.
Chaffetz pointed out that environmental agency policy requires employees to be fired after two sexual harassment claims.
However, Peter Jutro, acting associate administrator for the Office of Homeland Security retired with full benefits, after being put on paid leave in August 2014 during the investigation of his series of sexual harassments.
In fact, Deputy Chief of Staff John Reeder discovered at least some of the claims while vetting Jutro for his position, but didn’t look into them further.
“At a minimum, Mr. Reeder was aware of the offensive discussion that Mr. Jutro had with [a senior executive],” said Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Patrick Sullivan. “He was also aware of the reporting of Mr. Jutro’s sexual harassment including the one with the hugging and kissing the senior executive.”
Regardless, Reeder never interviewed Jutro’s immediate supervisors. He also pled ignorance to most of the claims.
“You know why you didn’t know about it?” Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., repeated after reading multiple sexual harassment claims against Jutro. “Because you didn’t bother to ask the people who knew.”
“You don’t talk to people at that level,” Gowdy continued. “That was your response.”
Also, two environmental agency employees were never fired for watching porn during work. One employee was caught in September 2013 and retired with full benefits in April 2015.
The other was caught watching porn next to a child in April 2014, but wasn’t referred for termination until March 24, 2015.
Both received paid leave during the investigations. Chaffetz noted that both make around $120,000 per year.
“We were waiting for a declaration of prosecution from the U.S. attorney’s office because we do not want to interfere with the prosecution or investigation of a crime or any other activity,” said EPA Acting Deputy Administrator Stanley Meiburg.
However, Sullivan noted that the U.S. attorney’s office — which was conducting investigations to charge the two officials with theft of public funds for watching pornography on government time – specifically told EPA officials to begin the firing process.
“In the future … if the department is confused … just pick up the phone, dial some numbers, and call Mr. Sullivan,” Cummings said.
The panel emphasized that most federal employees work hard, but that the agency needed a systematic change to quickly punish misconduct.
