CIG Ethics & Professionalism 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An IG discovers that a program is legal but highly inefficient and wasteful. The IG has professional authority to:
- Shut down the program immediately
- Report the inefficiency and make recommendations for improvement (Correct answer)
- Publicly criticize the program manager
- Transfer the funds to a more effective program
Correct answer: Report the inefficiency and make recommendations for improvement
IGs have authority to evaluate economy and efficiency and make recommendations, but they cannot unilaterally shut down programs or redirect funds.
Question 2: Which action by an IG would most undermine the office's credibility and independence?
- Publishing reports critical of agency leadership
- Hiring a former agency employee as an investigator
- Accepting gifts from a contractor under audit (Correct answer)
- Reporting findings to Congressional committees
Correct answer: Accepting gifts from a contractor under audit
Accepting gifts from parties under review creates a direct conflict of interest and violates federal ethics rules, severely compromising the IG's independence.
Question 3: A Certified Inspector General (CIG) must maintain continuing professional education primarily to:
- Qualify for salary increases
- Satisfy certification renewal requirements and maintain competency (Correct answer)
- Compete for promotions within the IG community
- Meet union contractual obligations
Correct answer: Satisfy certification renewal requirements and maintain competency
CPE requirements ensure that CIGs maintain current knowledge and competencies as laws, regulations, and best practices evolve.
Question 4: When conducting an investigation, an IG investigator interviews a subject without informing them of their rights under applicable law. This failure most likely violates:
- GAGAS standards only
- Due process rights and investigative procedural requirements (Correct answer)
- The Privacy Act exclusively
- The Paperwork Reduction Act
Correct answer: Due process rights and investigative procedural requirements
Subjects of investigations have due process rights including appropriate notification of the nature of the inquiry, and failure to inform can jeopardize investigations and result in legal liability.
Question 5: The Association of Inspectors General (AIG) Code of Ethics requires members to avoid actions that create even the appearance of impropriety because:
- Appearance violations carry heavier penalties than actual violations
- Public trust depends on both actual and perceived integrity (Correct answer)
- Only appearance standards are enforceable in court
- Agency heads care more about perceptions than actual conduct
Correct answer: Public trust depends on both actual and perceived integrity
The appearance of impropriety can erode public confidence in the IG function just as effectively as actual misconduct, making appearance standards essential to credibility.
Question 6: An IG is asked by the agency's general counsel to share work papers from an ongoing investigation for litigation purposes. The IG should:
- Immediately provide all work papers requested
- Evaluate legal obligations and consult with independent counsel before disclosing (Correct answer)
- Refuse all requests from agency counsel as a conflict
- Share summaries only, never original work papers
Correct answer: Evaluate legal obligations and consult with independent counsel before disclosing
The IG must carefully evaluate legal authorities, potential investigative compromise, and independence implications before sharing investigative materials with agency counsel.
Question 7: Which scenario best illustrates a violation of the IG professional standard of 'completeness'?
- Including minor findings in a report with major ones
- Omitting evidence that contradicts the report's main conclusions (Correct answer)
- Providing detailed methodology sections in audit reports
- Interviewing multiple witnesses for a single allegation
Correct answer: Omitting evidence that contradicts the report's main conclusions
Completeness requires that all material evidence be considered and presented, including evidence that may contradict or qualify the main findings.
CIG Ethics & Professionalism 4
An IG discovers that a program is legal but highly inefficient and wasteful.
The IG has professional authority to: