VA Lawyer Can Pursue Suit Over Watchdog’s Probe of Wife’s Hiring

The Veterans Affairs Department must continue to face claims that its Office of Inspector General violated the privacy rights of a senior-executive-level attorney by unfairly investigating allegations that he had a hand in his wife’s hiring, a federal judge ruled.

Robert Fleck’s lawsuit also alleges that the OIG published its investigative report without first ensuring its accuracy.

The complaint includes enough factual detail to plausibly assert claims on both bases under the federal Privacy Act, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia said Jan. 3.

Fleck is chief counsel of the procurement law group in the agency’s Office ...