The Department of the Interior's inspector general closed 457 investigations last year — and released public reports for only three.
The rest largely stayed hidden from public view, with even a redacted list of closed investigations accessible only through the Freedom of Information Act. Among them were cases exposing nepotism, contracting violations and allegations that BP America underpaid its gas royalties by millions of dollars (see related story).
Many of the closed cases were referred back to the relevant agencies, either for further review or for simply informational purposes. But at least 40 prompted some level of IG investigation, according to documents released to Greenwire under FOIA. In a recent interview, acting Inspector General Mary Kendall agreed that more reports should be made public. Continue>>>
======