Federal Reports

We present the status of the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation’s assets and official records.

The Office of the Inspector General conducted an evaluation to determine if the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) was effectively managing acquisitions and disposals of real property. We determined TVA effectively managed the real property acquisitions and disposals for the sample of transactions we reviewed. Specifically, we determined sampled acquisition and disposal decisions were generally supported by the financial, environmental, and title reviews conducted as part of TVA’s real property transaction process; however, we identified noncompliance with some parts of the standard programs and processes and user guides. We also identified opportunities for improvement related to information provided to the TVA Board of Directors and clarification within the standard programs and processes and user guides. Additionally, we identified issues related to TVA’s survey process.

The objective of the independent assessment was to identify unallowable costs reimbursed to the Contractor on the Cannon House Office Building Renewal (CHOBr) Project.

The OIG conducted an administrative investigation that included a congressional request to look into allegations that Charmain Bogue, former executive director of the Veterans Benefits Administration’s Education Service, committed ethical violations arising from her spouse’s consulting work for Veterans Education Success (VES). VES is a nonprofit advocacy group that regularly had business before the Education Service. The allegations also pointed to possible incomplete financial disclosures by Ms. Bogue concerning her spouse’s consulting business. In the course of their work, investigators uncovered evidence of other potential conflicts of interest and related misconduct by Ms. Bogue.As a result of the investigation, the OIG made four findings. First, Ms. Bogue participated in Education Service matters involving VES without considering whether it raised an apparent conflict of interest and acted contrary to ethics guidance she received from her supervisors. Second, Ms. Bogue sought résumé feedback from the president of VES to aid in her search for career advancement without considering whether this raised apparent conflict of interest concerns in subsequent VES matters. VES also endorsed Ms. Bogue for presidential nominee positions. Third, although Ms. Bogue provided insufficient detail about her spouse’s business in 2019 and 2020 public financial disclosures, VA ethics attorneys had found them compliant. She remedied the subsequently identified deficiency in her 2021 disclosure. Finally, the OIG found that Ms. Bogue refused to cooperate fully in the OIG’s investigation by refusing to complete her follow-up interview. Her husband and VES president also refused to participate in OIG interviews, and the OIG lacks testimonial subpoena authority over individuals who are not VA employees. Ms. Bogue resigned from VA in January 2022 and, as a result, the OIG made no recommendations. VA concurred with the OIG’s findings.