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USAGM Told to Investigate Allegations of Wrongdoing at Agency

Jessica Jerreat

   A federal office set up to protect whistleblowers has ordered the
   federal agency that oversees Voice of America and other independent
   news networks to investigate allegations of wrongdoing by its own top
   officials.

   The December 2 letters, signed by an attorney in the Office of Special
   Counsel, said U.S. Agency for Global Media head Michael Pack has been
   ordered to investigate after the OSC found "substantial likelihood of
   wrongdoing" based on details in whistleblower complaints.

   Since Pack's appointment to the USAGM in June, network heads have been
   fired or resigned, Pack has stopped approving visa renewals for the
   agency's foreign journalists, and his political appointees have
   conducted internal investigations of reporters and editors.

   The letters are a further blow to the new CEO after a federal court
   issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting Pack and his appointees
   from interfering with editorial decisions or violating journalists'
   First Amendment rights.

   Pack and his appointees were also barred from conducting investigations
   into news content or journalists, and from making personnel decisions
   involving individual staff members. The order is a stopgap measure to
   prevent further actions being taken until a legal complaint that
   alleges wrongdoing is resolved.

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