Federal Eye - April 18, 2010

Video: The Federal Eye on the SEC porn bust

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy The Federal Eye joined MSNBC's Alex Witt on Friday afternoon to discuss the SEC's pornography investigation and the timing of the release. Leave your thoughts in the comments...

By Ed O'Keefe | April 24, 2010; 9:55 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (14)
Categories: Agencies and Departments, Video Report
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2010 Census responses match 2000's

Though the totals are still being tallied, the 2010 Census response rate has matched returns for the 2000 headcount, the U.S. Census Bureau said Friday. Final numbers will be announced Wednesday.

By Ed O'Keefe | April 23, 2010; 3:01 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Census
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Friday Feedback: Ronald Reagan and the $50 bill; Benjamin Franklin and the $100 bill; federal agency favorability; gay rights protesters and Obama

A sampling of some of the comments from this week's most popular Federal Eye items. The thoughts expressed below do not represent the views of The Federal Eye or The Washington Post

By Ed O'Keefe | April 23, 2010; 12:00 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: About the Blog
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Percentage of Latinos feds frustrates leaders

The percentage of Latinos in the federal workforce remained flat in 2009 compared with the previous year, and the total number of Hispanic hires dropped, according to an annual government report. The results frustrated Hispanic leaders, concerned that the low numbers of Latinos on federal payrolls do not properly reflect their growing numbers nationwide.

By Ed O'Keefe | April 23, 2010; 9:30 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Workplace Issues
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SEC porn investigation nets dozens

Dozens of Securities and Exchange Commission staffers used government computers to access and download explicit images in the last five years, many in the years since the start of the global financial meltdown, according to a new watchdog investigation.

By Ed O'Keefe | April 23, 2010; 6:35 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (307)
Categories: Eye Opener
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Poll: Most oppose Reagan on the $50 bill

The day after officials unveiled a redesign of the $100 bill, new polling suggests most Americans don't want to see changes made to the $50 note.

By Ed O'Keefe | April 22, 2010; 12:50 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (61)
Categories: Agencies and Departments
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Federal foodies face off in the kitchen

A trio of expert foodies agree: There's a Roasted Tomato Curry Coconut Soup With Shrimp and Peas you must try. But it's not on the menus of the District's top restaurants or lunchtime chains; instead it has been served to only a few employees at the Social Security Administration.

By Ed O'Keefe | April 22, 2010; 9:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Video Report, Workplace Issues
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Eye Opener: Whistleblowing concerns at TSA

A leading Republican lawmaker is raising concerns that potential whistleblowers at the Transportation Security Administration aren't getting the help they need, after his office tried several times to reach agency officials that are supposed to deal with such issues.

By Ed O'Keefe | April 22, 2010; 6:20 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Agencies and Departments, Eye Opener
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MSHA launches 'inspection blitz' of 57 coal mines

The Mine Safety and Health Administration, the federal government's chief mining regulator, launched what it is calling an "inspection blitz" of 57 coal mines nationwide last weekend, focusing on ventilation and methane violations, in the wake of the April 5 West Virginia mine explosion that claimed 29 lives.

By Ed O'Keefe | April 21, 2010; 5:26 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Agencies and Departments
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Percentage of Hispanic feds stays flat

The percentage of Latinos in the federal workforce stayed flat in 2009 compared with the previous year, and the total number of Hispanic hires dropped, according to an annual government report.

By Ed O'Keefe | April 21, 2010; 2:30 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Workplace Issues
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New 100 dollar bill unveiled

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke unveiled the new design for the $100 bills that feature Benjamin Franklin's mug. The new bills include additional security features designed to weed out counterfeit notes.

By Ed O'Keefe | April 21, 2010; 11:39 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (34)
Categories: Agencies and Departments | Tags: New $100 bill, new 100 dollar bill
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Volcano impacts Postal Service deliveries

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night keeps letter carriers from making their appointed rounds. But a volcano sure will.

By Ed O'Keefe | April 21, 2010; 11:18 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Agencies and Departments
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New report, lawmaker tackling Senate 'holds'

The Obama administration had in place 64.4 percent of its Senate-confirmed agency positions after one year, lagging behind all four previous administrations in percentage terms, according to a new report from the Center for American Progress.

By Ed O'Keefe | April 21, 2010; 10:35 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (16)
Categories: Administration, Congress, Revolving Door
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Eye Opener: Federal foodies face off

Five federal workers face off Wednesday in a first of its kind contest to crown the public sector foodie with the healthiest original recipe.

By Ed O'Keefe | April 21, 2010; 6:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Eye Opener, Workplace Issues
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High-ranking federal workers reluctant to join Senior Executive Service, study finds

Heavier workloads and the negative impact on family and potential relocation to a different city are deterring federal workers from joining the top civilian ranks, according to a survey set for release on Wednesday.

By Ed O'Keefe | April 20, 2010; 3:00 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Workplace Issues
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Dorothy Height starred in recent Census ad

Dorothy I. Height, a founding matriarch of the American civil rights movement, died Tuesday at age 98. One of her final appeals to the American public came in a recent public service announcement for the 2010 Census. Officials hoped her appeal would help boost participation rates among minorities.

By Ed O'Keefe | April 20, 2010; 10:11 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Census
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Eye Opener: Gay rights protesters confront Obama

Just days after President Obama extended hospital visitation rights to same-sex couples and has made several other moves to extend rights to gay and lesbian Americans, he faced protesters Monday night upset that he has yet to repeal the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

By Ed O'Keefe | April 20, 2010; 6:10 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (69)
Categories: Eye Opener
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Obama to take management tips from CEOs

Seventeen of the nation's top business executives will soon start advising the Obama administration how to better manage the federal government.

By Ed O'Keefe | April 19, 2010; 4:16 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: 44: Obama's Washington, Administration
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Putting a pricetag on Postal Service woes

Loyal Federal Eye readers and close observers of the U.S. Postal Service flagged an exchange from last week's House hearing about the mail agency that is worth highlighting here.

By Ed O'Keefe | April 19, 2010; 3:43 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Agencies and Departments, Congress
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Pentagon working on oversight of defense contractors

Pentagon officials said Monday that they are working to improve the spending and oversight of billions of dollars of contract work being done in Afghanistan and Iraq by hiring more contract specialists and providing additional training to government employees who oversee contractors.

By Ed O'Keefe | April 19, 2010; 2:03 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Agencies and Departments, Contracting
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Federal Eye: April 18, 2010 - April 24, 2010