[Washington Post] President B.O.'s only Cabinet-level official from the U.S. territory of Guam steered federal contracts to friends, engaged in discrimination and sexual harassment, requested and received personal favors from subordinates and benefitted personally from taxpayer-funded trips, according to a watchdog report.The review by the Interior Department's inspector general largely substantiated allegations from agency employees against Anthony Babauta, who resigned in January as assistant secretary for Interior's Office of Insular Affairs.
Investigators determined that the former official directed the awarding of two Office of Insular Affairs grants worth a combined $451,200 to the University of Guam against the advice of his staff and grant specialists. The money went to the school's Micronesian Center for a Sustainable Future.
Babauta released a statement this week that acknowledged "the appearance of conflicts" but said his actions as assistant secretary were "legitimate endeavors to improve the quality of life for areas under my responsibility." He added that his connections with Guam leaders "had no bearing in how I made a final decision."
Babauta's statement did not address the other findings of the investigation.
The report said that Babauta, who is married, frequently met with a girlfriend during trips he booked for government business, including a meeting in Arkansas with the state's health department and the Marshallese ambassador. His mistress was in Arkansas at the time visiting with family and doing work for former congressman Vic Snyder (D-Ark.), the report said.