DOE: No Indication Poneman Violated Ethics Rules in Seeking Centrus Job

There is no evidence that Former Deputy Energy Secretary Dan Poneman broke ethics rules while at the Department of Energy regarding his future post as CEO of uranium enrichment firm Centrus Energy Corp., DOE Deputy General Counsel Eric Fygi said in an April 30 letter to Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.). Poneman, who left DOE last fall, drew scrutiny upon taking the new position at Centrus and as member of the Board of Directors of the metal commodities trader Traxys. The move led Barrasso to question DOE on whether Poneman may have violated conflict of interest rules. Last week, Fygi responded on behalf of DOE. “An examination of appropriate documents does not reveal any indication that former Deputy Secretary Poneman violated any ethical obligations applicable to Federal employees with respect to potential employment with Centrus at any time during his service at the Department of Energy,” the letter states.

 

DOE’s designated agency ethics official “personally and directly advised then-Deputy Secretary Poneman of the restrictions that would apply to his employment activities” upon leaving DOE in October, according to Fygi. Any former government employee responsible for “personally making any decision resulting in a payment, award modification, or overhead or other rate, or settlement” valued at more than $10 million to a company is restricted from “receiving compensation from the successful bidder/contractor” for a period of one year after performing that function, according to an attached Sept. 18, 2014, memo to Poneman from DOE Designated Agency Ethics Official Susan Beard. Poneman is prohibited for two years from communications with the Federal government on matters that were “under his official responsibility,” including all matters at DOE, Also, Poneman is barred from “lobbying any covered executive branch official or non-career Senior Executive Service appointee for the remainder of the Administration.