John E. Reeder, a former Deputy Chief of Staff at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has agreed to pay $21,773.95 to resolve allegations that he violated federal conflict-of-interest laws before retiring from the agency in 2019.
The Ethics Reform Act of 1989 prohibits executive branch employees from taking part in matters that could impact their own financial interests or those of organizations with which they have employment negotiations. According to the United States government, while Reeder was on a two-year assignment at a local university under an Intergovernmental Personnel Act agreement, he improperly negotiated for employment with the university. The EPA had warned Reeder that he remained subject to federal ethics laws and that negotiating for employment would create a prohibited financial conflict of interest.
Despite these warnings, officials allege that Reeder engaged in negotiations for a teaching position and extended his detail to finalize an offer from the university. He did not immediately disclose these negotiations as required and later filed a notification form with the agency’s ethics office that misrepresented when the negotiations began.
Acting EPA Inspector General Nicole Murley stated, “The EPA Office of Inspector General takes allegations of conflicts of interest seriously and will thoroughly investigate potential misconduct. American taxpayers have the right to expect the highest standards of ethical behavior from federal officials. Any conflict of interest undermines that trust, and we are committed to upholding integrity and accountability at the EPA.”
This settlement resulted from cooperation between the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the EPA’s Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Hair led the investigation, with support from Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Administrative Investigations Kristin M. Kafka and Director Sheryl M. Golkow.
The claims resolved by this civil settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
The press release was published after operations resumed following a government shutdown.
