Just five years after an Interior Department investigation determined then-Gettysburg National Military Park Superintendent Ed Clark had "committed criminal violations by submitting false travel vouchers and by accepting more than $23,000 in meals, lodging, and other in-kind gifts from non-Government organizations," he has been appointed superintendent of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.
“The National Park Service should not be promoting employees who commit financial fraud,” said Tim Whitehouse, executive director of Public Employees For Environmental Responsibility. “The immunity from punishment enjoyed by the Park Service’s inner circle is one reason the agency has such lousy morale.”
According to a 2018 investigation by Interior's Office of Inspector General, from 2014-2016 Clark accepted the $23,000 in compensation from the Gettysburg Foundation, a nonprofit organization, to attend events sponsored by the foundation.
"In addition, he violated laws and regulations by failing to obtain required supervisory and ethics approval prior to taking these trips and by failing to report expenses accurately following his trips," the OIG report added. "We also found that his subordinate staff approved his travel authorizations, that he sometimes traveled without first submitting a travel authorization request, and that he requested full per diem reimbursement even though the foundation paid for some of his meals during those trips."
When OIG staff discussed the matter with Clark, he "acknowledged that he knew the ethics rules and admitted that an ethics employee had explained to him by email how to use Form DI-2000 to request approval for travel-related payments from non-Government sources. Clark acknowledged that receiving payments from the Foundation and not completing the appropriate documentation were his error' and his responsibility. He said that his repeated disregard of regulations concerning the acceptance of travel-related expenses was an oversight and due to his own 'sloppiness.'"
The OIG investigation also found that Clark asked the Gettysburg Foundation "to pay for a dinner costing more than $6,000 that Clark and other National Park Service employees and foundation guests attended, violating the ethics regulation that prohibits soliciting gifts from prohibited sources."
While the OIG report was forwarded to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, the office declined to bring charges against Clark. A copy of the report also was provided to the NPS Acting Deputy Director "for any action deemed appropriate."
Jenny Anzelmo-Sarles, chief spokesperson for the National Park Service in Washington, declined to comment when asked if Clark's appointment sends the wrong message to agency staff and whether Park Service Director Chuck Sams approved the appointment. She referred questions to the agency's Northeast Region, which made the appointment. The regional office did not respond.
In criticizing the appointment, Whitehouse said internal surveys conducted by the Park Service regarding the agency's low morale level "cited the total lack of accountability for misconduct among superintendents and other senior officials who are 'transferred or even promoted rather than given realistic and appropriate consequences.'"
“Senior Park Service officials have such a sense of impunity they are often called the ‘Untouchables’ by staff,” added Whitehouse. “If ever a federal agency needed a new broom to sweep it clean, it is the National Park Service.”
Following his stint as Gettysburg superintendent, Clark served as the Pacific West Region’s senior project manager supporting complex projects such as Colorado River water issues, Lake Mead water levels, and statewide permitting efforts. In a release announcing his appointment to the national scenic trail, the Northeast Regional Director Cinda Waldbuesser said that, “Ed’s community engagement experience makes him a great fit to work with the dedicated community of partners who help the NPS protect and maintain the largest contiguous corridor east of the Mississippi River.”
In the same release Clark said he was "eager to begin collaborating with other federal, state, tribal and community partners to continue to protect this natural gem. I look forward to meeting the dedicated staff and partners that support the trail and working to support our shared vision.”
The release, which didn't mention the OIG findings, added during his five years at Gettysburg Clark "built strong partnerships and provided strategic leadership for one of the nation’s premiere civil war battlefields."
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Comments
"There is no such thing as a small lapse in ethics" - Walt Disney
Thank you for highlighting this paradigm of how the swamp operates.
I was found guilty of some similar at a non government job. What I did was wrong and betrayed the trust of so many. I lost my job, served time in jail, and paid restitution. This is the punishment I got and deserved to get. It's been 10 years since this happened.
I find it insulting and appalling that this man was allowed to keep his job. It sends a message of ignorance and disrespect to the American public. I used to donate to the national parks, however after this, I will not longer be donating. If there's no accountability then how do I know my money is actually going to the national park and not someone's extravagant lifestyle.
Sadly, Ed's conduct embarrasses all those of us senior managers who actually believe in, and abide by the rules. His hiring is a disgrace and the region and NPS are apparently blind to the signal it sends.
There are thousands of state and federal employees who have never done the things this man has. Those that have been caught are punished And frequently lose their jobs. There is no reason to be lenient with this man. This gives the entire park service a bad name, and certainly hiring him back is ignoring that this was a crime, and he's working in OUR parks with OUR $$$.
How does this happen?
How unfortunate, The AT community - tramily - seems to be a well seasoned group that is there for All Hikers whether Thur Hikers or Day Hikers, like me, it would be ashame to see this dismantled by a bad apple.
Sadely this is not the only case of a cover-up. I've know other Superintendents that have done improper things and routinely get away with it. The "Good 'ol boy" club is alive an well in the NPS.
The only chane in the good old boys club is now women are included. A major Infusion of outside talent is needed in upper management.
I feel for field level positions that are doing their best within their system run by people that are power hungry. The agency said there are not enough women in leadership. So instead of hiring someone that's got a lot of experience that is well respected and easily meets the qualifications for a positio, the agency is obsessed with DEI. They refuse to let these happen naturally. DEI hires can expect multiple extra chances to pass training. And be offered training not open to everyone. The agency wants more women in leadership and are more than happy to fast track people ahead before theyve gained slough rounded experienc. Can't blame the people for applying for a job, but the people doing the hiring are often tainted by DEI.
There was a national Chief Ranger leadership training. It was open to chiefs and rangers that could be considered emerging leaders but just haven't gotten to that point yet. Guess who got the email about it? Chiefs of course... and beyond that, only women in the agency. It's been said it was accidentally emailed to only women and not all employees. So now there is an email group of only their preferred rangers?
The NPS refuses to stay politically neutral and are obsesses with the current administratio's racist and sexist DEI practices.
So, of course, there has there been issues of "good ole boys club". Yes here and there behind the scene(that can be true anywhere) But that is being steamrolled and replaced by open and blatent racism and sexism. So very many good people work for the agency. The ones that can, leave for other agencies that aren't as political. It's a shame that they are focused on agendas and not simply preserving and protecting these lands. Over 100 years ago, the first protectors of national parks was the military. Money wasn't wasted on visitor centers and tons of programs that tell people how to enjoy their parks. The tax dollars simply went to protecting them for visitors to experienc. Advancement she had helped us fall.
I'm thankful for the employees with integrit. I'm glad I escaped when I did.
And this is the type of information I'll never see in the future once the Traveler goes lights out.
Amen,
sadly amen.
And, we're supposed to be surprised? Upper level bureaucratic CMA/CYA at its best. I agree with earlier post about donations. Where do they really go?z6j4b
He started mainstreaming back into routine NPS management operations when he served a Acting Deputy Superintendent detail at Mojave National Preserve earlier this year. That's when I knew that clueless upper management failed to do adequate background checks as well as giving the impression that they don't care about his previous misdeeds.
It never ends. No wonder the NPS has rock bottom morale, among the lowest in the Federal Government.
Clark is bad but why is no one also commenting on the killed bald eagle? Aren't there enough accidental kills from turbines that they can get there feathers? Ceremonial kills of protected species is bullshit.