End of a Scandal? NLRB Member Terence Flynn Resigns; Prosecution Still Possible

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.inthesetimes.com/working/entry/13265/embattled_nlrb_member_resigns_amid_criminal_investigation/

Sunday May 27, 2012 9:00 pm

By Mike Elk

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Amid accusations that he broke the law by leaking information to then-top Romney adviser Peter Schaumber, embattled GOP National Labor Relations Board member Terence Flynn resigned Saturday evening. The NRLB's Inspector General (IG) had been investigating Flynn for leaking confidential pre-trial information to top Romney advisors and for allegedly drafting op-eds and preparing Schaumber, who was Romney's labor policy advisor, for television appearances and debates.

Flynn has denied any wrongdoing. The leaks allegedly occurred last year, before Flynn was appointed to the NLRB in January by President Obama, when Flynn was working as a lawyer for the federal agency, which mediates labor disputes.

The IG alleged that Flynn may have violated the Hatch Act by providing “non-public deliberative information and other assistance to Peter Schaumber, a co-chair of the Labor Policy Advisory Group for the Mitt Romney Presidential campaign.” The Hatch Act prohibits federal employees from using their official power to influence the results of an election. (Since the NLRB IG's report was released earlier this year, the Romney campaign has said Schaumber left the campaign in December 2011, but serious questions about the validity of that story remain unanswered.)

Recently, Congressman George Miller (D-Calif.) and Congressman Elijah Cummings referred the matter for prosecution by the Office of Special Counsel. (The Office of Special Counsel will not comment on whether it will prosecute Flynn.) House Education, Labor and Pension Chairman Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) also recently threatened to hold hearings on the matter.

FULL story at link.