Earl Devaney
Encyclopedia
Earl E. Devaney is the current Inspector General
for the United States Department of the Interior
. He has served in this position since 1999.
police officer. After graduating from Franklin and Marshall College in 1970 with a degree in Government, Devaney became a Special Agent
with the United States Secret Service
.
Devaney served as the Special Agent in Charge of the Fraud Division until his retirement from the Secret Service in 1991, by which time he had gained international recognition as an expert on white-collar crime
, and was regularly sought by major media organizations. During his tenure with the Secret Service, Devaney received five U.S. Department of Treasury Special Achievement Awards, as well as numerous honors and awards from several professional organizations.
Upon leaving the Secret Service, Devaney became the Director of Criminal Enforcement for the United States Environmental Protection Agency
. In this position, Devaney oversaw all of EPA's criminal investigators and assumed management responsibility for EPA's Forensics Service Center and the National Enforcement Training Institute. Devaney's years of managerial excellence were recognized in 1998 with a Presidential Rank Award.
In February 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama
announced his choice of Devaney to oversee the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
stimulus plan.
, which led to the resignation of department secretary Gale Norton
. Devaney also investigated Julie A. MacDonald, deputy assistant secretary at the Interior Department who had been appointed by Norton in 2002. MacDonald also resigned after an internal review found that she had violated federal rules by giving government documents to industry lobbyists. Because of Devaney's findings, the US Fish and Wildlife Service ordered the review of eight endangered species
decisions in which MacDonald was involved. Devaney called MacDonald's management "abrupt and abrasive, if not abusive," and U.S. Senator Ron Wyden
, who commissioned the report, attributed the "untold waste of hundreds of thousands of taxpayers' dollars" to MacDonald's actions.
In 2008 Devaney investigated allegations of wrongdoing by a dozen current and former employees of the United States Minerals Management Service
, and found that "a culture of ethical failure" pervaded the agency. Devaney's investigation found that eight officials accepted gifts from energy companies, whose value exceeded limits set by ethics rules. The investigation also concluded that several of the officials "frequently consumed alcohol at industry functions, had used cocaine and marijuana, and had sexual relationships with oil and gas company representatives." According to the New York Times, "The reports portray a dysfunctional organization that has been riddled with conflicts of interest, unprofessional behavior and a free-for-all atmosphere for much of the Bush administration
’s watch."
Inspector General
An Inspector General is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is Inspectors General.-Bangladesh:...
for the United States Department of the Interior
United States Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...
. He has served in this position since 1999.
Professional career
Devaney began his career in law enforcement in 1968 as a MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
police officer. After graduating from Franklin and Marshall College in 1970 with a degree in Government, Devaney became a Special Agent
Special agent
Special agent is usually the title for a detective or investigator for a state, county, municipal, federal or tribal government. An agent is a worker for any federal agency, and a secret agent is one who works for an intelligence agency....
with the United States Secret Service
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
.
Devaney served as the Special Agent in Charge of the Fraud Division until his retirement from the Secret Service in 1991, by which time he had gained international recognition as an expert on white-collar crime
White-collar crime
Within the field of criminology, white-collar crime has been defined by Edwin Sutherland as "a crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation" . Sutherland was a proponent of Symbolic Interactionism, and believed that criminal behavior was...
, and was regularly sought by major media organizations. During his tenure with the Secret Service, Devaney received five U.S. Department of Treasury Special Achievement Awards, as well as numerous honors and awards from several professional organizations.
Upon leaving the Secret Service, Devaney became the Director of Criminal Enforcement for the United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
. In this position, Devaney oversaw all of EPA's criminal investigators and assumed management responsibility for EPA's Forensics Service Center and the National Enforcement Training Institute. Devaney's years of managerial excellence were recognized in 1998 with a Presidential Rank Award.
In February 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
announced his choice of Devaney to oversee the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, abbreviated ARRA and commonly referred to as the Stimulus or The Recovery Act, is an economic stimulus package enacted by the 111th United States Congress in February 2009 and signed into law on February 17, 2009, by President Barack Obama.To...
stimulus plan.
Notable investigations
During his tenure at the Department of the Interior, Devaney helped to investigate disgraced ex-lobbyist Jack AbramoffJack Abramoff
Jack Abramoff is an American former lobbyist and businessman. Convicted in 2006 of mail fraud and conspiracy, he was at the heart of an extensive corruption investigation that led to the conviction of White House officials J. Steven Griles and David Safavian, U.S. Representative Bob Ney, and nine...
, which led to the resignation of department secretary Gale Norton
Gale Norton
Gale Ann Norton served as the 48th United States Secretary of the Interior from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush...
. Devaney also investigated Julie A. MacDonald, deputy assistant secretary at the Interior Department who had been appointed by Norton in 2002. MacDonald also resigned after an internal review found that she had violated federal rules by giving government documents to industry lobbyists. Because of Devaney's findings, the US Fish and Wildlife Service ordered the review of eight endangered species
Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 is one of the dozens of United States environmental laws passed in the 1970s. Signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 28, 1973, it was designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of economic growth and...
decisions in which MacDonald was involved. Devaney called MacDonald's management "abrupt and abrasive, if not abusive," and U.S. Senator Ron Wyden
Ron Wyden
Ronald Lee "Ron" Wyden is the senior U.S. Senator for Oregon, serving since 1996, and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served in the United States House of Representatives from 1981 to 1996....
, who commissioned the report, attributed the "untold waste of hundreds of thousands of taxpayers' dollars" to MacDonald's actions.
In 2008 Devaney investigated allegations of wrongdoing by a dozen current and former employees of the United States Minerals Management Service
Minerals Management Service
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement , formerly known as the Minerals Management Service , was an agency of the United States Department of the Interior that managed the nation's natural gas, oil and other mineral resources on the outer continental shelf...
, and found that "a culture of ethical failure" pervaded the agency. Devaney's investigation found that eight officials accepted gifts from energy companies, whose value exceeded limits set by ethics rules. The investigation also concluded that several of the officials "frequently consumed alcohol at industry functions, had used cocaine and marijuana, and had sexual relationships with oil and gas company representatives." According to the New York Times, "The reports portray a dysfunctional organization that has been riddled with conflicts of interest, unprofessional behavior and a free-for-all atmosphere for much of the Bush administration
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
’s watch."