Lyndsey Layton of the Washington Post reports that Danny Harris, the chief information officer for the U.S. Department of Education, collapsed after a four-hour grilling into his after-hours business activities. He was rushed to the hospital but is okay now apparently. Harris is paid $180,000 for his work as a senior officer of the Department.
She writes:
The lawmakers’ concerns centered on an inspector general’s investigation that found Harris ran an after-hours car-detailing and home-theater-installation business that employed two subordinates from his agency and also allegedly accepted payments from other subordinates for the work.
The hearing also examined Harris’s effort to help a relative find work at the department and his close friendship with an agency vendor whose company has been awarded about $10 million in contracts to perform work that falls under the purview of his office.
Harris also failed to report an estimated $10,000 in income from his outside activities on federal disclosure forms and to the Internal Revenue Service, according to federal officials.
Although Harris told lawmakers that he exercised “poor judgment,” he said that his side jobs were hobbies, even as he earned money for them and paid subordinates to help him. He also had created business cards and a logo for the business.
When I worked in the U.S. Department of Education in the early 1990s, the ethical rules were extremely strict and unbending. If you worked at a high level, you could not pursue any outside business or have any outside earnings. Period. After I left the Department, I served on the National Assessment Governing Board (the board that oversees NAEP), an appointment by the Secretary of Education. There, even as an unpaid appointee, I had to fill out an ethics disclosure every year. At one point, I was investigated because the Department was concerned that I was receiving royalties from books that I had written. No, there was no conflict of interest. It was bizarre, but the point was that the rules were strong and made no exceptions.
Now, granted that a car-washing business and a home-theater installing business are not in conflict with education stuff. But that kind of outside income was strictly forbidden. That’s the way it was in 1991-1992. Maybe the rules have changed. Maybe senior officials can do what they want to earn extra money on the side.
Funny that Arne Duncan put himself in charge of policing every school in the nation, but couldn’t monitor his own immediate staff.
The outside jobs and the income he didn’t report is nothing compared to this:
“his close friendship with an agency vendor whose company has been awarded about $10 million in contracts to perform work that falls under the purview of his office.”
Yikes.
You got it. Not seeing this as a conflict of interest–even without rules and forms to fill out–should disqualify him from holding any federal position.
Also, his effort to “help a relative find work in the department.” And his hiring of subordinates from the DOE to work in his outside businesses.
Not to mention his failure to disclose his outside income on the required federal disclosure forms, and the IRS.
All of it, verboten and unethical according to federal regulations.
And he collapsed? What, did he think he would never, ever be questioned about any of this?
I’m trying to stir up some sympathy for this guy, but I am totally failing.
Well, look at their example. The qualifications of Arne Duncan who ran the entire Department of Education? Basketball buddy. I am an Obama supporter in many, many areas, but his Department of Education is inexcusable.
The entire culture of this nation is corrupt, and ‘anything goes,’ is ok , because as Libro pointed out and The Big Short showed, when ‘everyone is doing it too, it is okay’ and as we know, everyone is looking for a way to cheat the system and make a few bucks…present company excepted.
Like the wolf watching the chickens, except many teachers and students suffered the consequences re high stake testing.
The TRANSPARENT and APPROPRIATE qualification in academic and in morality, where is it in the requirement for high senior position at federal, state, and local level?
Across all continents, regardless of race and culture, it is horrible to realize that people WHO ARE WITHOUT TALENT, WITHOUT HUMANITY but love to obtain power and privilege, WILL do everything to sell their soul and to harm their community and country.
Here is an article on NYT to answer my above concerned question.
[start article]
New York Officer Ran Prostitution Ring at Motels, Authorities Say
By RICK ROJAS and AL BAKER
Federal prosecutors said that Eduardo Cornejo, who was fired in January for failing a drug test, essentially held two jobs, working as a police officer during the day and a pimp at night.
[end article]
I believe in God and in Karma, but I cannot fathom the illogical mind of all greedy and lusty people on Earth. Back2basic
So $180,000 million and $17,000 in bonuses for a failed job simply doesn’t cut for this gentleman? And they say the greed of teachers will ruin the country…
B/w
Should someone be in charge of education if cleaning cars and hooking up speakers is a hobby for them?
Danny Harris collapsed?
Who cares about collapsing.
Too bad he didn’t croak . . . . .
I find the “collapse” a bit theatrical and convenient . As several of the committee members pointed out, this man clearly violated policies and LAWS, yet got a “humbling counseling session” and an “outstanding” performance review and bonus. Unbelievable.
Alison, it wasn’t just one bonus. He received over $200,000 in performance bonuses, even as the ED ignored his sideline businesses, where he hired ED employees and did not report his income.what kind of Ethics officer and Inspector General does the ED have?
Yes . . . . . . When you screw up and screw people and are high up in administration, you get one set of rules and remunerated handsomely. When you do the same, and are much lower on the totem pole, you get caught, fined, charged, punished, and jailed.
One set of rules for them and another set for us.
How utterly American.
But after watching the debates in New Hampshire tonight, I feel more hopeful about inequality. I got Berned, and man, was it great.
Harris should be tried in court and Snyder should resign and be charged formally.
And Hillary?
She should just shut up, stop lying, stop flip-flopping, and get her own talk show . . . Or peddle her own brand of hair mousse on QVC . . .
Diane, if you go to 1:19-1:23 in the tape. Mr. Wahlberg of Michigan comments on the lack of “integrity and credibility” of the man tasked with keeping safe the data of our nation’s schoolchildren. I believe the exact figure in bonuses was $230,000 ( according to a statement by Mr Chaffetz. UNBELIEVABLE.
But, I guess it’s OK since he received a few “humbling” counseling sessions…..REALLY?????John King says that Mr. Harris didn’t violate the law or policy since Mr. Harris “didn’t understand that he needed to seek guidance to decide if his business was a hobby.
King was basically skewered by almost EVERY committee member. King is a weakling and sounded so over his head and like a big wimp. He was called out several times for his inability to do more than “act as a rubber stamp”.
The Sr. Ethics ( Ms. Winchell) officer is lacking in ethics and judgement….. “Harris didn’t violate ‘any standard of ethical conduct’. WOW!!! “Next time, Harris should just ask…..” Is this lady for real????
Unbelievable!
OMG! I read this and translate that Mr. John King always seeks GUIDANCE from puppet masters so that he is still sustaining his high PAYING position regardless THAT he ruins Public Education. Please read Mr. John King’s defending opinion for Danny Harris.
[start quote]
John King says that Mr. Harris didn’t violate the law or policy since Mr. Harris “didn’t understand that he needed to seek guidance to decide if his business was a hobby.
[end quote]
Could TRUE EDUCATORS envision how GREAT (sarcasm} American Public Education and all American students’ private data will be? Sigh! Back2basic
When I worked for US ED, we got an ethics briefing on Day 1. I guess Danny Harris was absent that day.
Thank you Dr. Ravitch for your kindness. Yes, you can try very hard to guess that Danny Harris was absent that day.
However. I must believe that John King and Danny Harris have glaucoma so that they cannot read and comprehend rules and regulation regarding Ethics in education field. Back2basic
If someone is missing this link, please open it and read for important information about the intentional dismantling of public education in USA by rich corporate.
http://edwardfberger.com/arizona-strangled-by-an-organized-minority/
…Most of the members of the state legislature are in the Koch-ALEC-Goldwater Institute pocket , or they are forced to cooperate with the extreme right to keep from being ostracized and rendered ineffective for their constituents. Voters are discouraged from voting. It looks like Governor Doug Ducey is being groomed to take on the work of Scott Walker of Wisconsin, who followed the Koch dictates to his ruin. The governors and legislators in many states are being placed by the Koch-ALEC machine. They have used gerrymandering and control of the primaries to ensure that key members of the republican right do not have to fear re-election. The Koch-ALEC machine has made inroads into the US Chamber Of Commerce, and the United States Supreme Court, forcing rulings like Citizens United… Back2basic
I find it interesting that Arne resigned from the department before all this came out… Did he have a warning?