CIG Ethics & Professionalism 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A whistleblower provides information to an IG office and requests confidentiality. The IG should:
- Disclose the identity if the agency demands it
- Protect the identity to the maximum extent permitted by law (Correct answer)
- Reveal the identity only to senior investigators
- Decline the information unless confidentiality can be waived
Correct answer: Protect the identity to the maximum extent permitted by law
Protecting whistleblower identities is a legal obligation and ethical imperative that encourages reporting and prevents retaliation.
Question 2: When an IG audit reveals findings that are embarrassing to the current administration, the IG should:
- Delay the report until after an election cycle
- Report findings fully and objectively regardless of political consequences (Correct answer)
- Soften the language to reduce political fallout
- Consult with the White House before releasing the report
Correct answer: Report findings fully and objectively regardless of political consequences
Objectivity requires that IG findings be reported accurately and completely regardless of political sensitivity or potential embarrassment to officials.
Question 3: The concept of 'tone at the top' in IG organizations means that:
- The IG should focus audits on senior leadership decisions
- Leadership behavior sets the ethical culture for the entire office (Correct answer)
- Senior officials are always responsible for employee misconduct
- Ethics training should begin with managers before staff
Correct answer: Leadership behavior sets the ethical culture for the entire office
Tone at the top refers to how leadership's own ethical behavior and stated values shape the overall organizational culture and employee conduct.
Question 4: An IG staff member uses government databases to research a personal legal matter. This conduct most directly violates which principle?
- Economy
- Effectiveness
- Public trust and proper use of government resources (Correct answer)
- Transparency
Correct answer: Public trust and proper use of government resources
Using government resources, including information systems, for personal benefit violates the public trust and is prohibited by federal ethics regulations.
Question 5: Which standard requires that IG audit evidence be sufficient, appropriate, and relevant to support audit conclusions?
- Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS) (Correct answer)
- Federal Acquisition Regulation
- Office of Management and Budget Circular A-123
- Administrative Procedure Act
Correct answer: Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS)
GAGAS (Yellow Book) sets standards for evidence that must be sufficient, appropriate, and relevant to support findings and recommendations.
Question 6: When an IG faces political pressure to drop an investigation from a high-ranking official, the correct response is to:
- Comply if the official outranks the IG
- Document the pressure and continue the investigation (Correct answer)
- Pause the investigation pending review
- Refer the matter to the Department of Justice immediately
Correct answer: Document the pressure and continue the investigation
The IG must document any interference attempts and continue lawful investigations; documented interference may itself warrant reporting to Congress.
Question 7: The principle of 'objectivity' in IG work requires that findings be based on:
- Agency leadership's assessment of the facts
- Evidence gathered independently without bias or prejudgment (Correct answer)
- Majority opinion among staff investigators
- Prior similar cases and their outcomes
Correct answer: Evidence gathered independently without bias or prejudgment
Objectivity demands that conclusions be grounded in independently gathered evidence rather than predetermined views, agency preferences, or peer consensus.
CIG Ethics & Professionalism 3
A whistleblower provides information to an IG office and requests confidentiality.
The IG should: