STATEMENT BY CHA CHAIRMAN ROBERT A. BRADY ON THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION IRC REPORT

The Independent Review Committee (IRC) report confirms that Secretary Lawrence M. Small created "an imperialistic and insular culture" that dominated the Institution at the expense of the public's legal stewards, the Board of Regents. The Regents also allowed Secretary Small to waste the Institution's money and time without producing the much-touted charitable contributions that might have justified his salary and other perks. Indeed, private funds raised from donors actually declined during Secretary Small's tenure." 

"The Regents should also demand the immediate departure of Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer Sheila Burke, who resigned Monday and who is presently scheduled to depart in September. Burke apparently has been AWOL from the Institution much of the time-- the IRC found that she has taken off about one-quarter of the work days during her seven-year tenure because of service on boards and non-Smithsonian activities. The new Smithsonian policy announced Monday, which would prohibit much of this extraneous activity, does not take effect until after Burke's departure, potentially allowing her to continue to moonlight. This cannot be tolerated."

"The House Administration Committee will take very seriously the IRC's recipe for a cure for the Institution's ills. These include legislative measures to ensure the Smithsonian becomes an open public institution with a responsible fiduciary Board of Regents who have a clearly defined job description and a membership that meets on a regular basis."

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