Skip to content
TRENDING:
Donald Trump
Advertisement
Author profile

Jim McElhatton

jmcelhatton@washingtontimes.com

Jim McElhatton no longer works for The Washington Times.

Articles by Jim McElhatton

House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa, California Republican, said on Tuesday that he's considering subpoenas to force the White House to hand over more details about its new political office. He has set a new deadline for June 3. Mr. Issa said the American people have a right to know if their tax dollars are being spent to support congressional campaigns. (Associated Press)

Issa hits fed crackdown on tree-trimmer

The House's top investigator said Wednesday that a federal agency's decision to pursue criminal charges against a tree-trimmer for accidentally disturbing bird nests in California highlights a troubling disparity in how private citizens and misbehaving government workers are treated.

May 28, 2014
President Barack Obama autographs a banner while visiting a wounded service member at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., June 28, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) This official White House photograph is being made available only for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photograph. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not be used in commercial or political materials, advertisements, emails, products, promotions that in any way suggests approval or endorsement of the President, the First Family, or the White House.

Obama warned about VA wait-time problems during 2008 transition

The Obama administration received clear notice more than five years ago that VA medical facilities were reporting inaccurate waiting times and experiencing scheduling failures that threatened to deny veterans timely health care — problems that have turned into a growing scandal.

May 18, 2014

Contractor sues government; says disabled can’t get clearance

A federal contractor is going to court over the government's set-asides for work for the severely disabled, arguing that when it comes to highly classified intelligence jobs that require top secret security clearance, there aren't enough potential employees who qualify.

May 15, 2014
Department of Energy

Energy Department loan office under scrutiny

The Energy Department's loan office — which came under fire for its handling of failed solar panel maker Solyndra — left a key oversight office understaffed for nearly a year, according to a recent government audit.

May 14, 2014
** FILE ** Vice President Joe Biden. (AP Photo)

Secret Service signs new deal for landlord Joe Biden

Landlord Joe Biden will keep collecting rent checks from the agency that protects his life thanks to another contract extension that allows Secret Service agents to continue staying in a cottage on his Delaware property.

May 14, 2014
A screen grab from the 1999 movie 'Office Space.'

Federal workers hold on to jobs despite blatant misconduct

A program analyst at the Department of Housing and Urban Development spent up to three hours a day for five years working on private business deals — including once arranging to supply lap dancers for a private party — while he was supposed to be doing government work.

May 13, 2014
Rep. Darrell E. Issa

Issa threatens EPA with contempt proceedings over records

The Obama administration faces the specter of another contempt proceeding after House Republicans said this week that they have run out of patience with the EPA, which has been slow to respond to subpoenas for documents.

May 8, 2014
Bob Perciasepe, right, EPA's deputy administrator, listens to testimony before the House Oversight and Government Reform full committee hearing, Wednesday, May 7, 2014 in Washington. Also seated are from left, Patrick Sullivan, Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, Office of Inspector General, EPA, Allan Williams, Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, Office of Inspector General, EPA, Elisabeth Heller Drake, Special Agent, Office of Investigations, Office of Inspector General, EPA. (AP Photo/Molly Riley)

Bogus CIA probe was botched by EPA office

The federal probe into EPA fraudster and phony CIA spy John Beale was "delayed and damaged" by the agency's homeland security office, a government watchdog told Congress on Wednesday while revealing new probes across the agency including one of a man who reportedly watched porn at work for up to 6 hours per day.

May 7, 2014
John Beale

Watchdog finds more EPA personnel problems

One EPA employee spent up to six hours a day looking at pornography while on the job, and another employee has been allowed to work from home for years but had little to show for it, according to an ongoing internal investigation that the agency's inspector general will detail to Congress on Wednesday.

May 6, 2014
John Beale

Toothless EPA homeland security office bristles at oversight

When EPA officials began having doubts in 2012 about John Beale — a top adviser who bizarrely claimed he was missing work because he was on secret CIA spy missions — they didn't go to the agency's inspector general for an investigation.

May 5, 2014
White House science adviser John Holdren. (Associated Press)

White House sued over official’s email records

A top White House science official who warned colleagues against using personal email to conduct government business has been doing it himself, according to accusations in a lawsuit filed Monday.

May 5, 2014
Wage stagnation and rising income inequality — two features of the current recovery that have puzzled both policymakers and analysts — may reflect not economic factors, but a vast change over the decades in the structure of the American family, in particular the decline in the number of married-parent families, according to a new study. (Associated Press)

Government media board facing inquiry over hiring protocol

The Broadcasting Board of Governors, the more than $700 million international media arm of the federal government, is facing an IRS audit over its longstanding policy of using purchase orders to hire hundreds of journalists, according to records.

May 1, 2014