Education Funding

Ed. Dept. Official Grilled Over Tax, Conflict of Interest Allegations

By The Associated Press — February 09, 2016 2 min read
Danny Harris, the chief information officer for the U.S. Department of Education, testifies on Capitol Hill over an Inspector General’s report that looked into his personal business and tax issues.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Lawmakers on the House Government and Oversight Committee are probing tax and conflict of interest allegations against the U.S. Department of Education’s chief information officer—and that could create headaches for acting U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr., who was called to testify in Congress on the issue last week.

Danny Harris, the department’s CIO, ran a side business installing home theaters and detailing cars, according to the Associated Press. He didn’t report about $10,000 in income from that business in public disclosure forms, or on his taxes. And he made a $4,000 loan to one of his subordinates and allegedly helped a relative get a job at the department, according to the Education Department’s Inspector General.

Harris was asked about those issues by lawmakers on the House oversight committee Feb. 2, and after the hearing concluded, he collapsed and was taken to the hospital for a time.

Cybersecurity Team

Harris is a part of a team that oversees cybersecurity at the department, an issue that the House oversight panel looked into in November. The committee found that while the department holds 139 million Social Security numbers, it is “vulnerable to security threats,” according to an Inspector General’s report. The department’s system also failed a key part of a test performed as part of an audit.

Harris—who is a career civil servant, not an Obama administration appointee—was investigated for the tax issues by the IG a few years ago, he told the committee, according to prepared testimony.

In written testimony, Harris also said he didn’t help a relative get a job at the department, just inquired to see if there were positions available. He also said he didn’t use his influence to get a friend a contracting position. And he’s refiled his tax forms.

Harris has been counseled by the department about his actions, but isn’t expected to receive further punishment.

King said in prepared testimony that Harris’ actions reflect “a serious lack of judgment.” And even though King’s predecessors had already taken action, King also talked to Harris about these “serious matters.” Harris, he said, “expressed profound remorse” for his actions.

Committee Pushback

But that didn’t fly with some lawmakers.

“It’s your leadership that’s on the line. Is it appropriate to have outside income and not report it?” Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, the chairman of the committee, asked King.

And at least one Democrat wasn’t satisfied with King’s answers.

“Where’s the stick as opposed to just the pat? How do people know that they can’t be involved in this behavior?” asked Democrat Stacey Plaskett, the delegate from the Virgin Islands. “That’s just a way to keep your job.”

In response, King noted, “after the counseling, the activities ended” and that the department’s general counsel’s office had found no violation of law, regulation, or policy. He also said the department has “made tremendous progress” in the area of cybersecurity.

King is also facing challenges in other corners of Congress—Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., is unhappy that he hasn’t been officially confirmed. King has said it’s up to the president to decide whether to submit his nomination to the U.S. Senate. And he has noted that an acting secretary has all the same powers as one that’s been confirmed.

Assistant Editor Alyson Klein contributed to this article.

A version of this article appeared in the February 10, 2016 edition of Education Week as Ed. Dept. CIO Grilled By Oversight Panel

Events

Artificial Intelligence K-12 Essentials Forum How AI Use Is Expanding in K-12 Schools
Join this free virtual event to explore how AI technology is—and is not—improving K-12 teaching and learning.
Federal Webinar The Trump Budget and Schools: Subscriber Exclusive Quick Hit
EdWeek subscribers, join this 30-minute webinar to find out what the latest federal policy changes mean for K-12 education.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Curriculum Webinar
End Student Boredom: K-12 Publisher's Guide to 70% Engagement Boost
Calling all K-12 Publishers! Student engagement flatlining? Learn how to boost it by up to 70%.
Content provided by KITABOO

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Funding Billions for Schools Are in Limbo as Trump Admin. Denies State Funding Requests
Chaos and confusion continue to reign as states scramble to spend the last of their COVID relief funds under new deadlines.
8 min read
Illustration of a man pushing half of clock and half of a money coin forward on a red arrow
iStock/Getty Images Plus
Education Funding The Big Questions About Trump's K-12 Budget Proposal, Answered
Trump is proposing to cut billions of dollars in K-12 investments, consolidate grant programs, and potentially rejigger special education law.
13 min read
An aerial view of a maze made up of 100 dollar bills with two clay figures. One looks like Trump with blond hair and in a blue suit with a red tie and he's waving to another white business man in a suit walking away from him.
iStock/Getty
Education Funding Trump Asks Congress to Slash Billions in Education Funding—and 'Preserve' Title I
A White House budget proposal calls for consolidating grants, eliminating key funding streams, and ramping up charter school investments.
8 min read
Vector illustration of business persons tightening the purse/finances.
iStock/Getty
Education Funding Trump's Spending Plans Are Late—Raising Worries About K-12 Funds
The executive branch has three opportunities in the near future to detail its education funding priorities in writing—but it hasn't yet.
10 min read
Image of a dollar bill with the Capitol in the center.
DigitalVision Vectors