Merger Has Brought Appointees Into Conflict With Longtime Workers, Who Say They Are Sidelined
By Glenn Kessler
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 21, 2006; Page A04
A State Department reorganization of analysts involved in preventing the spread of deadly weapons has spawned internal turmoil, with more than half a dozen career employees alleging in interviews that political appointees sought to punish long-term employees whose views they considered suspect.
Senior State Department officials deny that and say an investigation has found that the proper personnel practices were followed. But three officials involved in the reorganization, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, acknowledge that a merger of two bureaus reduced the influence of employees who were viewed by some political appointees as disloyal to the administration's policies.
"There are a number of disgruntled employees who feel they have been shoved aside for political purposes. That's true," said one of these officials. "But there was rank insubordination on the part of these officers."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/20/AR2006022001198.html