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DC employee fined $25,000 for working second full-time job on government time – Washington Examiner

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DC employee fined ,000 for working second full-time job on government time – Washington Examiner


A Washington, D.C., government official has resigned after the city’s ethics board found she had been secretly working a separate full-time job and serving as an elected official in Virginia on government time.

Caroline Lian earned $175,000 per year as deputy director of the District of Columbia Department of Buildings while also earning a six-figure salary at Freddie Mac, according to a report from the District of Columbia Board of Ethics and Accountability.

Lian, who joined the DOB in 2022, reportedly maintained a hybrid work schedule at the agency, coming into the office on Mondays and Fridays and working remotely the rest of the week.

Meanwhile, she worked the opposite schedule as a risk management director at Freddie Mac, coming into the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays while working remotely on Mondays and Fridays, according to the settlement agreement signed by Lian.

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She failed to report her employment with Freddie Mac on her financial disclosure statement for 2022 and 2023, according to the ethics board.

Lian also served as a city councilwoman in Falls Church, Virginia, on a part-time basis. Although she disclosed her position on the city council to the DOB, the ethics board found she attended council meetings while still reporting a full day’s work in D.C. on more than 10 occasions.

“The Department of Buildings has accepted the employee’s resignation effective immediately and she is no longer employed by District government,” a DOB spokesman said in a statement.

Under the terms of the settlement, Lian has agreed to pay a $25,000 fine and attend ethics training.

The report comes after District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser in January ordered city employees to limit their remote work to one day per week.

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“It’s about the services that we provide to our residents, and we are a local government, and we need to be there to do that,” Bowser said.

The DOB spokesman said the department “will be taking additional steps to ensure that all employees follow required practices.”



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Washington, D.C

DC leaders considering transit options for new RFK Stadium

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DC leaders considering transit options for new RFK Stadium


The Commanders are set to build a new stadium in D.C., and the debate over how fans will get to and from games is happening right now. On Wednesday, city leaders will join Metro and the Washington Commanders to talk stadium transit.



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D.C. Police Chief manipulated crime data; new House Oversight report

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D.C. Police Chief manipulated crime data; new House Oversight report


A new report from the House Oversight Committee alleges former D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith pressured officers to manipulate crime data. The committee released the report on Sunday, less than a week after Smith announced she was stepping down.

You’re lulling people into this false sense of security. They might go places they wouldn’t ordinarily go. They might do things they wouldn’t ordinarily do,” said Betsy Brantner Smith, spokesperson for the National Police Association.

Included in the report were transcribed interviews with the commanders of all seven D.C. patrol districts and the former commander currently on suspended leave. One was asked, “Over the last few years, has there been any internal pressure to simply bring down crime statistics?” Their response, “Yes, I mean extremethere’s always been pressure to keep crime down, but the focus on statistics… has come in with this current administration.”

Every single person who lives, works, or visits the District of Columbia deserves a safe city, yet it’s now clear the American people were deliberately kept in the dark about the true crime rates in our nation’s capital,” House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY) said in a statement.

“They are going to have to regain the public trust. Again, this is a huge integrity issue,” Brantner Smith said.

Among the reports findings, Smith’s alleged pressured campaign against staff led to inaccurate crime data. Smith punished or removed officers for reporting accurate crime numbers. Smith fostered a toxic culture and President Trump’s federal law enforcement surge in D.C. is working.

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While Smith has not yet publicly responded to the report, she’s previously denied allegations of manipulating crime data, saying the investigation did not play a factor into her decision to step down at the end of the year.

My decision was not factored into anything with respect to, other than the fact that it’s time. I’ve had 28 years in law enforcement. I’ve had some time to think with my family,” Smith said earlier this month.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser also released a statement Monday, writing in part that “the interim report betrays its bias from the outset, admitting that it was rushed to release.”

According to crime stats from the Metropolitan Police Department, since the federal law enforcement surge started in August, total violent crime is down 26%. Homicides are down 12% and carjackings 37%.



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National Menorah Lighting in DC dedicated to Bondi Beach victims

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National Menorah Lighting in DC dedicated to Bondi Beach victims


The first candle lit on the National Menorah near the White House in Washington, D.C., marked the first night of Hanukkah — and solemnly honored victims of the Bondi Beach shooting.

The National Menorah Lighting was held Sunday night, hours after gunmen opened fire on a crowd celebrating the beginning of Hanukkah at Australia’s iconic Bondi Beach. Fifteen people were killed, including a 10-year-old girl, a rabbi and a Holocaust survivor, and over three dozen others were being treated at hospitals.

Authorities in Australia said it was a terrorist attack targeting Jewish people.

Organizers behind the National Menorah Lighting said the news from Australia, along with the bitter cold, forced them to consider whether or not to hold the annual event.

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After consulting with local law enforcement, National Menorah Lighting organizers decided to hold the event and honor the victims.

Several D.C.-area police departments issued statements confirming there are no known threats to local communities, but are monitoring just in case.

Montgomery County Executive Mark Elrich condemned the attack and said community safety is a priority.

“Acts of antisemitism, especially those meant to intimidate families and communities during moments of gathering and celebration, must be called out clearly and condemned without hesitation,” Elrich said. “I have heard directly from members of Montgomery County’s Jewish community who are shaken and concerned, and I want them to know that their safety is a priority.”

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