The Defense Department’s independent watchdog is investigating whether the acting defense secretary took actions to promote his former employer and disparage its competitors.
By Paul Sonne Paul Sonne National security reporter focusing on the U.S. military Email Bio Follow March 20 at 6:55 PM The Defense Department’s independent watchdog has opened an investigation into allegations that acting defense secretary Patrick Shanahan violated ethics rules by taking actions to promote Boeing after leaving the aerospace company and accepting a top job at the Pentagon.
The probe comes as the former Boeing executive hopes to receive President Trump’s formal nomination to serve in the Defense Department’s top post and replace Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who resigned in December. The investigation comes after the government accountability organization Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington sent a letter to the inspector general saying that, according to news reports, Shanahan appeared to have “made numerous statements promoting his former employer Boeing and has disparaged the company’s competitors before subordinates at the agency.”
“I am biased towards performance,” Shanahan said. “I am biased towards giving the taxpayer their money’s worth. And the F-35 unequivocally I can say has a lot of opportunity for more performance.” Sen. Jack Reed , the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, called the probe “a serious matter.”
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