By the way, Bloch lives with his wife, Catherine, and their seven children in Alexandria, Virginia. Maybe that is why he had brought home the $400 OSC logo towels.
WASHINGTON — FBI agents investigating government watchdog Scott Bloch have subpoenaed any records that would reveal whether concerns about the 2004 elections prompted him to clear Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice of ethics violations.
Bloch, the U.S. special counsel who investigates federal employee whistleblower complaints, found no merit to allegations that Rice, then President Bush's national security adviser, timed some of her trips to boost his 2004 re-election campaign.
The FBI is investigating whether Bloch obstructed justice by destroying computer files to hinder an outside inquiry into allegations that he retaliated against employees who opposed his policies. He's also suspected of making false statements to investigators.
FBI agents, who searched Bloch's office and home Tuesday, subpoenaed 17 of his current and former employees to appear before a federal grand jury and asked them to bring any documents related to possible tampering of records in the office's electronic investigative tracking system, McClatchy-Tribune reported.
Officials with knowledge of the investigation also told McClatchy that the FBI has subpoenaed records about the decision to assign Rice's case to an investigator. The officials asked to remain anonymous.
It's unclear whether the FBI is looking into Bloch's decision to clear Rice or is seeking evidence in a separate obstruction and false-statements probe.
State Department spokesman Tom Casey said the department had no comment. FBI officials also declined to comment.
Bloch, whose lawyer also didn't return calls, has denied any wrongdoing.
Draft documents released Wednesday by the watchdog group Project on Government Oversight, detail 11 subject areas the Office of Special Counsel's task force identified for potential investigation.
In more than half of the cases, according to the draft report dated Jan. 18, Bloch and the task force disagreed on whether an investigation should be pursued or closed. They included:
•The case of the former Justice Department's liaison to the White House, Monica Goodling, who admitted in congressional testimony last year that she illegally gave hiring preference to GOP activists seeking prosecutor jobs. The task force pushed to investigate, but Bloch blocked it. In November, Bloch told the task force it could continue, but without resources.
•A look into whether federal prosecution of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman, a Democrat, was engineered by Republicans to kill his re-election. Though the task force began compiling evidence, it was "informed that the Special Counsel did not authorize the task force to investigate these allegations, and to do so is a breach."
More on the story.
And let's not forget the investigation into Rove and his violation of the Hatch Act.
On a side note:
CONGRESSMAN SAYS BLOCH SHOULD QUIT
A veteran Republican lawmaker Wednesday called on Office of Special Counsel chief Scott Bloch to resign, one day after nearly two dozen FBI agents raided OSC headquarters and carted off boxes of documents and equipment."In light of the various investigations into Mr. Bloch's conduct, including the FBI probe revealed yesterday, it's hard to believe he can continue to operate effectively," Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., the top Republican on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said in a statement.Other critics have also called for Bloch's ouster, including the Project on Government Oversight and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility both nonprofit groups and an attorney representing several current and former OSC employees
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