The Washington Post has the full story today about Pilar O’Leary, the former head of the Smithsonian Latino Center, who resigned in February. Initially, O’Leary was lauded for her work at the Center when her resignation was announced, but since then, Acting Secretary Cristián Samper decided that as a higher-up in the Institution, her ethical violations since her hiring in 2005 were important to disclose to the public (spurred by a FOIA request put in by the Post).
O’Leary seems to be yet another eager student in the school of greed fostered by former Secretary Lawrence M. Small, who brought her on to serve at the Center. The Post received the report of the Smithsonian Inspector General, who investigated O’Leary and found she “violated 14 ethical and conflict-of-interest policies.” The big one, as usual, being extreme and unwarranted travel expenses, including hotel spa treatments, declining government rates to stay at the Ritz, and a limousine to travel a few blocks between Smithsonian sites on the Mall. Although it’s probably true when she says that her superiors (most of whom have already resigned in disgrace) always approved and never complained about her expenses, how one in a position of public service expects to use federal funds and grants for such greed continues to be unbelievable.
The story is a good read, as usual, for such gems as the time O’Leary traveled on behalf of the Center but had most of her expenses paid for by another organization — and yet billed the Institution for every penny anyway. (O’Leary reimbursed them after this was exposed.) Or how O’Leary was oh so “embarrassed” after finding out it was illegal to give her friend a contract with the Center without any competitive bidding.
Since we’ve been watching leaders of the Smithsonian tumble from their pillars for over a year now, we can certainly no longer be shocked by the gross acts for personal gain that went on under Small. Instead, we’re thrilled to see this place get cleaned out once and for all, leaving, hopefully, a clean slate for incoming Secretary G. Wayne Clough on which to begin a new era for the Institution.
Photo by MatthewBradley
