HHSC Inspector General forced to resign over work for Iraq lobbyist
Texas Health and Human Services Inspector General Stuart Bowen was forced to resign Wednesday night after Gov. Greg Abbott discovered that Bowen was moonlighting for a private company to provide consulting services to the government of Iraq, state officials said Thursday morning.
“This was a serious and unacceptable lapse in judgment by Mr. Bowen,” said Abbott spokesman John Wittman. “The day the governor was made aware, he took immediate action and asked Mr. Bowen to resign. The governor is confident the next Inspector General will continue the good work the office has been doing.”
Bowen, a lawyer, served as the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction from October 2004 to October 2013.
According to an unsigned contract provided to the Statesman by the Health and Human Services Commission, Bowen was to provide “strategic advice” to Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck regarding its work with the government of Iraq. According to the agreement, Bowen was to be paid $300 an hour for his work. He was also to receive a 15 percent “origination fee” on any money received by the company for government of Iraq work.
Read more: http://www.statesman.com/news/hhsc-inspector-general-forced-resign-over-work-for-iraq-lobbyist/wQp3rNstJH0xAUhLMVMLBL/