President Joe Biden’s problems keeping his so-called Build Back Better agenda promises have been well-documented. But he is simultaneously struggling with the lofty good governance pledges he made as his stated ideals crash into the realities of his second year in office.

Biden promised during the 2020 campaign that he would lead a moral, transparent White House, seeking to distinguish himself from former President Donald Trump. Yet, some of his and his aides’ decisions have fallen short of that standard, including this week regarding bullying allegations against top scientist Eric Lander, according to ethics expert Steven Mintz.