Investigation of Improper Hiring at the Bureau of Indian Education

We investigated a complaint that Charles Roessel, the Director of the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), had inappropriately hired two individuals: a BIE program analyst with whom he was rumored to be having a romantic relationship, and a relative of his who worked in the Navajo Nation school system.

 

Our investigation confirmed that Roessel was involved in both hires. He acknowledged that he had hired the program analyst and admitted to having an ongoing romantic relationship with her. He also said that he intervened in the hiring process for the position his relative had applied for to make sure she was selected for the job. 

 

Roessel’s involvement in these hires appears to violate the “basic obligation of public service,” as defined in the C.F.R., as well as U.S.C. prohibitions against advocating for the hiring of relatives and granting preference or advantage to any Federal employee or job applicant.