FederalDaily - September 20, 2005
FBI Tip Line on Public Corruption
On Sept. 15 the FBI launched a tip line—at (800) CALL FBI or (800) 225-5324—to
collect information and complaints of public corruption and government fraud,
in connection with the Hurricane Katrina aftermath. Information related to
these matters can be provided toll-free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
These lines will be manned by FBI personnel and the information collected will
be analyzed, investigated and shared with state, local and federal law enforcement
personnel, the FBI said. “It is very unfortunate that natural disasters,
such as Hurricane Katrina, while bringing out the best in most people also
draw out criminal elements who would take advantage of the federal government's
relief efforts,” said Assistant Director Chris Swecker, FBI Criminal
Investigative Division.
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Sexual Orientation Discrimination Prohibited
Federal employees are moving closer to having protection against discrimination
based on sexual orientation. A bill sponsored by Rep. Henry Waxman, R-Calif.,
the Clarification of Federal Employment Protections Act, H.R. 3128, was passed
by the House Government Reform Committee. The bill states that Congress, in
order to dispel any public confusion, “repudiates any assertion that
federal employees are not protected from discrimination on the basis of sexual
orientation.” The bill also amends federal law to prohibit any federal
employee who has authority to take, direct others to take, recommend, or approve
any personnel action, from discriminating for or against any federal employee
or applicant for federal employment on the basis of sexual orientation.
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GAO Reports on Agencies’ Counter-Extremism
Efforts
U.S. government and other experts have reported that Islamic extremism is
on the rise and that the spread of Islamic extremism is the pre-eminent threat
facing the United States . In addition, various sources alleged that Saudi
Arabia is one source that has supported and funded the spread of Islamic extremism
globally. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently reported that
federal intelligence agencies, the Departments of Defense (DoD) and State,
and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) are implementing
various efforts to identify, monitor and counter the support and funding of
the global propagation of Islamic extremism. GAO is preparing a classified
report with a more complete description of U.S. efforts to address the global
spread of Islamic extremism. To read the unclassified report, go to www.gao.gov/new.items/d05852.pdf.
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DOJ Asked for Post-Hurricane Assistance
Sens. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., Mark Pryor, D-Ark.,
and Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., sent a letter asking Department of Justice (DOJ)
head Alberto Gonzales to provide technical and financial assistance to state
attorneys general. The senators said the attorneys general would need help
fighting price gouging, contractor fraud, fraudulent charitable solicitations,
predatory lending and identity theft—all which may arise in the wake
of Hurricane Katrina. “We also request that the Department of Justice
draft and make public guidelines that are designed to assist the public in
the recognition of price gouging…” the senators’ letter
stated. It also asked for grants up to $50,000 for state attorneys general
to support fraud investigations.
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