【单选题】{{B}}Passage Three{{/B}}
民族部支持内政部的官员
The Office of GovernmentEthics said the InteriorDepartment’s No. 2 official, Steven Griles, did not appear to violate ethics rules by arranging meetings between Interior officials and his former lobbying clients and partners.
The office, after reviewing an 18-month investigation by the InteriorDepartment’s inspector general, said it found no ethics violations by Griles in the department’s awarding of more than $1.6 million i contracts in 2001 and 2002 toAdvanced Power Technologies InC、, a former client.
InteriorDepartment Inspector GeneralEarlDevaney said Griles’ behavior is the latest case of an Interior official falling to consider perceived impropriety in his actions. He also called the department’s underfunded ethics office "a train wreck waiting to happen. "
Interior Secretary Gale Norton and Republicans inCongress said the report clears Griles of any wrongdoing. Griles is gratified by the finding that he had "adhered to ethics laws and rules. "
"I am glad this matter is behind me," he saiD．
Sen. Joe Lieberman,D-Conn., calledDevaney’s report a case of the "foxes guarding the foxes," saying the questionable conduct and special treatment given to Griles’ former clients "cannot help but leave a sour taste in the mouth of anyone who believes in the fairness of government. "
Environmentalists had alleged that Griles helped former clients land government contracts, intervened in an environmental study of coalbed methane development in Wyoming, and held a dinner for senior department officials at the home of his former lobbying partner.
Two matters—the coalbed methane analysis and the InteriorDepartment dinner—were referred to Norton by the Office of GovernmentEthics for possible action. Norton said they had been adequately addresseD．
"This closes the issue," Norton said in a statement.
Kristen Sykes of Friends of theEarth disagreed and said Griles should be fireD．
"It uncovers regular and consistent breaches of Griles’ ethics agreements and , more importantly, blatant violations of the public’s trust," she saiD．"If this White House is serious about ethics and accountability, Mr. Griles should be dismissed immediately. "
Devaney did not draw conclusions in his report, but said in a letter to the department that regardless of whether Griles broke the law, the appearance of wrongdoing erodes public trust.
"This is the only one in a series of cases in which we have observed an institutional failure to consider the appearance of a particular course of conduct," he wrote. "It is my hope, however, that this may be the case that changes the ethical culture in the department. "
Last month,Devaney cleared the department’s former top lawyer,Bill Myers, of allegations that his official actions benefited former lobbying clients.An investigation is under way into whetherBureau of Land ManagementDirector KathleenClarke violated ethics rules by participating in meetings regarding a land exchange in Utah, where she was the state’s director of natural resources.
Griles continues to receive $284,000 a year as part of a four-year severance package from his former lobbying firm.
InApril 2002, theEnvironmental ProtectionAgency was about to object to an environmental study of coalbed methane drilling in Wyoming when Griles interveneD．In a phone call and letter, he urgedEPA、to resolve its differences to keep the project on track.At least six of Griles’s former clients had interest in the project.
Devaney also found that InteriorDepartment officials sought out projects to award to one of Griles’ former clients,Advanced Power Technologies,
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