Two officials at the U.S. Government Publishing Office allegedly violated federal laws and regulations by filling agency jobs with unqualified candidates, including an official's son, NPR reported Monday.
The GPO's Office of Inspector General has not finalized its findings, but in June it sent an interim report, obtained by NPR, to the joint congressional committee that oversees the agency, which is in charge of producing and distributing the government's official documents.
The report found "mismanagement, misuse of position, and disregard" for hiring and contracting rules by two of the agency's most senior managers over a four-year period, beginning in 2014 during the Obama administration.
The GPO employs some 1,700 workers and has $117 million in appropriations from Congress this fiscal year.
Senators on the Rules and Administration Committee have "sought additional information regarding allegations of misconduct at the GPO," according to Katie Boyd, spokeswoman for Chairman Sen. Roy Blunt, whose committee shares oversight of the GPO with the House Administration Committee.
The GPO is without a permanent director after its last one — Davita Vance-Cooks, appointed by President Barack Obama — departed in November 2017. After that, two officials retired after serving as the agency's acting leader for a combined eight months.
In June, President Donald Trump nominated Robert Tapella as the next GPO director, but he has not yet been called for a Senate confirmation hearing.
According to the June report, the probe was sparked by numerous complaints of misconduct. Investigators said they conducted interviews, reviewed internal documents and consulted the U.S. attorney's office in Washington, D.C.
Findings from GPO inspector general investigations can be referred to the Justice Department for criminal or civil charges.
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