Records Management: Retrieval of State Department's Political Appointee
Files (Letter Report, 07/13/94, GAO/NSIAD-94-187).

GAO was asked to review an investigative report prepared by the Office
of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of State regarding the
retrieval of files on Bush Administration political appointees.  The OIG
report concluded that the Clinton Administration staff in the State
Department White House Liaison Office had retrieved and reviewed files
containing information on Bush Administration political appointees and
that the release of information about these files appeared to violate
the Privacy Act.  Two officials were fired as a result.  GAO's review
generally agrees with the OIG's findings and conclusions and supplements
the information the OIG developed.  The one area where GAO obtained
information that the OIG investigation did not address concerned the
adequacy of records management at State and other agencies.  OIG's
investigation focused on determining whether any wrongdoing occurred by
Department employees. Although the OIG concluded that State's
information management officials did not violate current regulations
when they provided records of Bush appointees to the Clinton appointees,
GAO believes that weaknesses in records management and controls led to
the retrieval and release of information to the press.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  NSIAD-94-187
     TITLE:  Records Management: Retrieval of State Department's 
             Political Appointee Files
      DATE:  07/13/94
   SUBJECT:  Privacy law
             Confidential records
             Disclosure law
             Information disclosure
             Personnel records
             Inspectors General
             Investigations into federal agencies
             Public officials
             Records management
             Presidential transition

             
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