Biden Admin Official Accused of Targeting Whistleblower

The head of a federal agency inappropriately consolidated power and carried out an intimidation campaign against a government whistleblower, according to two Senate Republicans.

Sens. Richard Burr (N.C.) and Mike Braun (Ind.) in a letter Tuesday called on President Joe Biden to fire Arthur Traynor, the chairman of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, in response to a whistleblower complaint that alleges Traynor has attempted to gain sole authority over legal matters reviewed by the agency's three-member commission. After a whistleblower notified the U.S. Office of Special Counsel about the agency head's power grab, Traynor placed the employee on "investigative leave" without explanation, according to the letter.

Agency officials brought the allegation to the attention of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, of which Burr and Braun are members, after the whistleblower filed the complaint to the Office of Special Counsel, a staffer for the committee who is familiar with the matter told the Washington Free Beacon.

The Republicans' letter also alleges that Traynor's behavior toward employees has at times been "demeaning" and "threatening." The senators point to a public meeting last year in which Traynor referred to the two other commissioners as "rogue" and one specifically as a "moron."
President Joe Biden by The White House is licensed under flickr U.S. Government Works