Seems like the cozy government gig just wasn’t enough for Caroline Lian. Maybe she really needed that extra yacht or a vacation home. It was recently revealed that she was juggling two full-time jobs—one as the Deputy Director of the D.C. Department of Buildings and another with Freddie Mac. And all this while collecting a hefty $175,000 a year salary from your taxpayer dollars, of course.
Caroline Lian finally stepped down from her high-flying role after the scandal caught up with her. Lian first joined the D.C. government as Chief Operations Officer in 2022 and then swiftly climbed up the ladder to Deputy Director by 2023. When the public and watchdog groups got wind of her dual employment, an outcry ensued that could not be ignored, forcing Lian to resign.
Slipping Through Ethical Nets
It’s worth noting here that Lian wasn’t exactly working double shifts at a diner to make ends meet. She had a cozy setup where she split her time between working from home and the office for both jobs. Apparently, there was enough flexibility to pull off this juggling act until ethical watchdogs started sniffing around.
“Caroline Lian, deputy director of D.C.’s Department of Buildings, resigned after a Board of Ethics investigation.”
The ethical lapses didn’t end there. Lian also served as a City Council Member for Falls Church after being elected in January 2022, and she didn’t bother to list her employment with the D.C. Department of Buildings, listing only Freddie Mac.
Caught and Fined
To top off the ethical blunders, Lian faced a $25,000 fine for violating the city’s code of ethics. Her settlement requires a $17,000 upfront payment with the balance to be paid in installments.
“Lian was fined $25,000 for ethical breaches, with a settlement requiring a $17,000 upfront payment and the rest in installments.”
Falls Church officials didn’t take this lightly either. They reported the entire mess to the Commonwealth’s Attorney for a thorough investigation. Talk about a tangled web of mismanagement and deceit.
The No. 2 at DC Dept. of Buildings quits after city discovers she was also working full-time for Freddie Mac. She's also member of the Falls Church (Va.) City Council. Her penatly? $25k fine. https://t.co/JUPm4TjWFX
— David Wessel (@davidmwessel) August 8, 2024
Compliance and Cleanup
Following Lian’s resignation, Daniel Gleick, Press Secretary for D.C.’s Department of Buildings, assured the public that compliance with ethical standards will now be a top priority. Hopefully, they can avoid such a fiasco in the future with more stringent oversight and transparent policies.
“Daniel Gleick, Press Secretary for D.C.’s Department of Buildings, confirmed her resignation and stated the department will ensure compliance with required practices.”
Concluding Thoughts
So here we are again: another public official caught with their hand in the cookie jar. One could almost create a series of these ethical debacles in D.C. When will they learn? Public trust is hanging by a thread, and it’s time for stronger measures to ensure that those who hold public office also hold to ethical standards. But until then, I guess we’ll have to keep paying attention and holding them accountable.
