Mike Causey

Think Before You Hit SEND

Be very, very careful before you hit the SEND button of your government computer. Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says the ease of e-mails has derailed, if not...

Federal News Network Staff

June 6, 2008 4:00 am

3 min read

When it comes to making career-ending mistakes there is no better tool in the idiot’s arsenal than the SEND function of your government computer. Hitting SEND with the wrong message composed by the reptile portion of your brain makes it possible, in a heartbeat, to bypass years of formal training/education, time spent learning good manners, and all the horse sense you had acquired before ruining your career.

It is one thing to be quiet as a little mouse about the fact that your immediate supervisor, division director, agency head or even commander-in-chief is a two pound skunk in a one pound sack. We’ve all done it – or had it done to us. But it is quite another to tell your glorious leader, especially in the form of an e-mail, that he or she gives being a dork a bad name. It is even worse if you cc: the entire staff. Or agency. Good luck with that one!

Yet every day, hundreds, maybe thousands of federal and postal workers do moderately-to-severely stupid things via computer. If you factor out people who send and solicit porn, which is a BIG PROBLEM in some agencies, one of the worst things one can do is to play politics on government time, using government equipment and targeting government workers.

Most feds know the general rules against politicking. They are part of the Hatch “no politics” Act which has been around since 1939. But every year, and especially during presidential campaigns, some people manage to get caught violating the Hatch Act.

With the advent of computers, doing something stupid, which took time with snail mail or using the telephone, has become much easier. In addition to breaking the law, offending some coworkers, and slacking on the job, people who get political on the internet are (figuratively speaking) shooting themselves in the foot, groin, and head at the same time. Oh, and the wallet too!

Case in point: An employee of the Johnson Space Center in Houston is on a 180-suspension (effective March 30, 2008) for engaging in political activities on federal time and property.

In case you are wondering, he was not a rocket scientist, but he was found guilty of using his NASA e-mail account to send partisan e-mails and of soliciting contributions (of $20) for local partisan political campaigns. Although these were not high-profile national candidates, and the amounts of money were not huge, he broke the law, according to the Office of Special Counsel. OSC says the employee (at least) twice in 2006-2007 sent partisan e-mails and posted on his blog statements backing candidates for Texas state office. For more, click here.

Meantime, be careful with that SEND button.

Generous Feds

Federal and postal workers last year donated $273.1 million to the Combined Federal Campaign. The CFC permits feds to donate via payroll deduction to thousands of national and local charities. The largest concentraton of feds, those in the Washington metro area, kicked in almost $61 million. The CFCs in Florida, South Carolina, Kansas, Arkansas, Pennsylvania and West Virginia were lauded for highest the highest percentage increases in contributions.

Nearly Useless Factoid

Ever hear of William R. King? Turns out he was sworn in as Vice President of the United States in Cuba, becoming the only executive officer to take the oath on foreign soil, reports MentalFloss. King had gone to Cuba to recuperate from tuberculosis and severe alcoholism, but it didn’t work. He died in 1853 after being vice president for just 25 days. Why this factoid is nearly useless: if he’s remembered at all, it’s probably more for being dubbed “Miss Nancy” by President Andrew Jackson due to a predilection for wearing scarves and wigs.

To reach me: mcausey@federalnewsradio.com