A lawyer for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) warned in a legal advisory that those who seek to capitalize on their position will be probed for ethics violations.
The document describes that email records reveal that Dr. Anthony Fauci attempted to “capitalize on his federal position, including by actively soliciting nominations for non-federal awards, prizes, and other honors from individuals affiliated with institutions funded and otherwise engaged by the NIAID and by directing subordinate staff to participate in the compilation of nomination package materials to be submitted by individuals associated with grantee institutions.”
Robert Fox Foster, the HHS acting general counsel, wrote in the advisory that employees of the National Institutes of Health “cannot accept from such donor gifts associated with awards that are valued in excess of $200, or that are cash or an investment interest, and they must obtain written approval before accepting any award.” He further warned that an employee’s “use of title, position or authority to coerce or induce another to provide a benefit may be found to violate the misuse of position standard even if the benefit is not, itself, a ‘gift’ (i.e., a thing having monetary value) under the Standards of Ethical Conduct.”
“In sum, it is the view of the Office of the General Counsel that solicitation by an HHS employee who is an intended award recipient of support or nomination for awards, prizes and other honors recognizing meritorious public service or achievement from non-federal entities funded, regulated, contracted and otherwise engaged by HHS programs and operations over which the intended recipient has authority warrants investigation under the Standards of Ethical Conduct,” Foster declared.
The new advisory comes as Fauci was revealed to have used his position and agency as a means of gaining nominations for awards.
