Office of Government Ethics

OGE’s Role in the Presidential Transition

One of the great traditions of our nation is the peaceful transition of power. History is made every four or eight years when our government turns over the reins of power from one Presidential administration to the next.

At the same time, the work of a Presidential transition is a monumental undertaking. In just over ten weeks between the election and the inauguration, the President-elect must prepare to take control of a government comprising more than 130 agencies, hundreds of sub-components, and millions of civilian and uniformed personnel.

The Office of Government Ethics (OGE) plays a vital role in Presidential transitions, reviewing the financial disclosure reports of Presidential nominees and resolving their conflicts of interest so they can serve with integrity. This nominee work becomes OGE’s primary focus during the transition, when most of the top political leadership in the government turns over. OGE will work in partnership with the Presidential Transition Team to make sure that prospective nominees are free of conflicts of interest, so that top leadership positions can be filled quickly.

OGE Transition Materials

OGE’s website features a Presidential Transition page targeting the Presidential campaigns, the future Presidential Transition Team, incoming Presidential nominees, the media, and the public. Based on OGE’s extensive experience with the nominee process, OGE has developed critical resources that will help to ensure that the transition is as smooth and effective as possible. These resources also increase transparency regarding the government’s complex Presidential nomination procedures.

OGE Training Booklets

Ethics training is a critical function of the executive branch ethics program. The training that agency ethics officials provide gives employees the tools they need to perform the government’s work with integrity. In support of this function, OGE recently released four new training booklets. Agency ethics officials can use the booklets to satisfy the regulatory training requirements and can tailor the content to meet their agencies’ needs.

Ethical Service Handbook for Executive Branch Employees:

This Ethical Service Handbook for Executive Branch Employees booklet provides new employees with an introduction to the fundamental ethical obligations of public service. The content is organized around three expectations of ethical service: awareness, engagement, and accountability. The booklet includes space for agency-specific content, and OGE encourages agencies to edit the booklet in order to highlight key ethics issues relevant to the work that their employees perform.

14 General Principles, Standards of Ethical Conduct Summary for Executive Branch Employees, and Criminal Conflict of Interest Laws Summary for Executive Branch Employees

These three booklets address substantive government ethics. The Fourteen General Principles, contains the 14 General Principles articulated in Executive Order 12674 of April 12, 1989 (as modified by E.O. 12731), and later codified at 5 C.F.R. § 2635.101. The Summary of the Standards of Conduct contains a summary of the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch (Standards of Conduct) at 5 C.F.R. part 2635. The Summary of the Conflict of Interest Laws contains a summary of the criminal conflict of interest laws at 18 U.S.C. §§ 202-209. When used in conjunction with the Ethical Service Handbook for Executive Branch Employees, these booklets provide new employees with the resources they need to carry out their fundamental government ethics responsibilities.