NASA Administrator Charles Bolden in Hot Water Over Ethics Issues? September 26, 2010
Posted by Nick Azer in : Charles Bolden, ethics, NASA, National Space Policy, Obama , add a comment
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden is starting to find himself in hot water with the Obama administration after a series of ethics issues, it seems:
“Administrator Bolden continues to be not only a distraction for the administration, but most importantly to the mission of NASA.” -Unnamed Obama administration official, “NASA Administrator draws an ethics reprimand”, The Orlando Sentinel
“The president takes the ethics pledge and the commitments made by appointees who sign it seriously, and any breach of the pledge is very disappointing.” -White House Spokesman Nick Shapiro, “NASA Administrator draws an ethics reprimand”, The Orlando Sentinel
It’s generally difficult to be reprimanded much more than that. Distraction to the mission of NASA?
As Space Politics notes, Bolden was cleared of legal violations in regards to his communication with former employer Marathon Oil, but that his actions were found to not be consistent with the administration ethics pledge (referenced by spokesman Nick Shapiro above).
Comments by Bolden earlier this summer about outreach to Muslim countries being one of his “foremost” tasks and general controversy over the new direction of NASA have not helped his cause at an important juncture for Obama’s vision for space.
With a busy year for Obama, this could well mean there’ll be a change to a less ‘distracting’ administrator in the near future, perhaps once the House and Senate compromise bills are settled one way or another. Obama seems to dictate space policy fairly closely regardless (his 2008 campaign space plan having a lot in common with the later findings of the Augustine committee), so a change in administrator may not make much of a difference in the momentum of NASA, and potentially happen that much sooner because of it.
NASA Administrator Bolden—Announcements at Public Lunch Event? November 28, 2009
Posted by Nick Azer in : Charles Bolden, NASA , add a comment
NASA Watch reports that NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden is not only going to be speaking at a public luncheon for Women in Aerospace, but that there could be major announcements at the event.
It’s $70 a ticket for the two-hour lunch event on Wednesday, December 9th from 11:30am to 1:30pm, and will be at the Ritz-Carlton by the Pentagon in Arlington, VA (map). So if you’re a space enthusiast along the Beltway who’d like to be there (and perhaps even shoot him a question or two during the Q+A), check out the WIA event page :)
It's Official: Charles Bolden and Lori Garver Confirmed by Senate for NASA July 16, 2009
Posted by Nick Azer in : African-American History, Charles Bolden, NASA , add a comment
It’s now official: Charles Bolden and Lori Garver have been confirmed as Administrator and Deputy Administrator of NASA, as of yesterday.
Check out NASA Watch for a nice wrapup of the coverage, and also you can take a look back at my coverage of the long and interesting search for a nominee.
It's Official: Obama Nominates Charles Bolden as NASA Administrator May 23, 2009
Posted by Nick Azer in : African-American History, Charles Bolden, NASA, Obama , add a comment
It’s official: President Obama has now nominated former astronaut Charles Bolden to be the first African-American Administator of NASA.
After quite the long saga, Sen. Bill Nelson‘s primary choice ended up as the nominee, with Obama advisor Lori Garver (head of Obama’s space transition team) selected as deputy administrator.
Here’s a video of Sen. Bill Nelson discussing the Bolden appointment:
Bolden–Obama Update: Meeting, But No Administrator Announcement Yet May 19, 2009
Posted by Nick Azer in : African-American History, Charles Bolden, NASA , add a commentThe AP has an update on Charles Bolden’s meeting with President Obama today.
Many had expected a potential announcement of Bolden being the new NASA Administrator today, but looks like that is still on hold, despite the angst of many at NASA over the temporary void in leadership.
Keep an eye here (and at the always-dependable sites NASA Watch and Space Politics) for updates as they come :)
