Lurita A. Doan served as Administrator of the General Services Administration for the past 22-months and survived pressure from Capitol Hill, investigations into potential Hatch Act violations, and allegations of interference in GSA contract negotiations.  But according to multiple sources, a personal feud over whistleblower complaints with her agency's Inspector General (IG), Brian Miller, led to her ultimate demise.

Doan's early months at GSA were plagued by scandals.  Over a year ago she was questioned by members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee about reported efforts to award a sole-source contract to a personal friend as well as accusations that she was using her office for political purposes.  Shortly after that the Office of Special Counsel ruled that she "should be disciplined to the fullest extent" for violating the Hatch Act, which limits political activity in federal agencies, by inviting a deputy of Karl Rove to speak at GSA.  Lawmakers called on her to resign at that point, but the White House declined to get involved and so her profile was lowered.

That changed suddenly on April 29, 2008 when Doan was called to the White House for her first ever meeting with top administration officials.  She was met by White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolton and Counsel Fred Fielding, who told her immediately that she was to resign.

Her accomplishments at GSA during a very short tenure were plentiful and impressive.  She lead the largest reorganization in the history of the agency, culminating in the creation of the Federal Acquisition Service, without letting go of any employees to buyouts of Reduction in Force (RIF) actions.  The agency advanced an expansive telework agenda.  And she was aggressive about spending controls across the board.  As one example, the Office of Assisted Services has gone from losing millions of dollars to now breaking even.  

Doan took an unconventional approach to her role.  At a recent dinner sponsored by a contractor trade group, she appeared on stage with arrows sticking out of her head, shoulders, arms, and legs, and used the arrows to illustrate the shots she had been taking from the media, Congress, and "others who represented the status quo."

Presumably, one of those "others" was IG Brian Miller, who she argued was retaliating against her for attempting to cut his budget and impose tighter oversight on his office.  

Whistleblower complaints filed with the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency (PCIE) last year by four former IG attorneys alleged that Miller and former Deputy Inspector General Robert Samuels misused agency resources and abused their authority in order to retaliate against career employees who disagreed with their decisions.  The PCIE dismissed the complaints in February, classifying them as an "internal dispute."  Doan spoke publicly about the decision, saying that it "confirms the suspicions of many that the PCIE...exists only as a fig leaf to provide the illusion of oversight of IG misconduct, but, in fact, its real purpose is to whitewash any wrongdoing, avoid responsible action and ensure a blind eye to IG misconduct."  

Last month, the Corporation for National and Community Service, who had agreed to review the case, said it found no wrongdoing by Miller or Samuels.  Doan still refused to drop the issue, saying she would stay on the issue "like a dog on a bone" until she was sure GSA did not "harbor or tolerate behavior that creates a hostile workplace."  Just days later, she was called in to the White House and told her immediate resignation was expected.