John Crudele

John Crudele

Business

Brooklyn Census Bureau also falsified data in 2010

The Census Bureau’s office in Philadelphia wasn’t the only one falsifying data.

At about the same time in 2010 that an enumerator in Philly was accused of falsifying data that went into the Labor Department’s unemployment reports, two supervisors in the Brooklyn Census office were also faking reports — this time with the population count.

In a typical situation a supervisor could have 100 enumerators reporting to them.

In a semiannual report to Congress dated September 2010, the Commerce Department’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) said (p. 25 for those in media trying to catch up on this story) that “in June, 2010 a series of complaints were received alleging that two Brooklyn, N.Y. supervisors were falsifying enumerator questionnaires in order to complete the census within the assigned time deadlines.”

“Given the seriousness of this matter and the potential interference with the accuracy of the census count, OIG conducted an investigation to determine whether violations of law sufficient for criminal prosecution had occurred,” the Commerce OIG wrote.

The OIG decided in August 2010 that “the investigation substantiated the allegations and brought to light significant management issues within that Census office.”

OIG didn’t have the supervisors arrested, but it “acted swiftly to remove the individuals in question.”

I assume that means the supervisors were fired — not shot.

It’s another example of Census employees’ systemically ginning up numbers and falsifying data and the report does not say if the field reports were solely for the census or also used for other clients reports like Labor Department.

A few weeks ago I broke the news that an enumerator working through the Philadelphia office of Census — but surveying in Washington, D.C. — was accused in 2010 of faking data that went into the Labor Department’s unemployment report.

That transgression took place in August of 2010 and was probed by Census’ own investigators in the months following.

That enumerator — a guy named Julius Buckmon — was also fired. But the investigation didn’t go any further even though Buckmon claimed that a supervisor told him to fake the reports.

That supervisor still works in the Philadelphia office, one of only six regions that exist under the Census’ new streamlined format.

While Census investigators were looking into the Buckmon matter it was also alleged that the supervisor told others they shouldn’t worry because higher-ups would cover for them if the matter became a problem.

It was unclear then — as it is now — how high up the chain the Philadelphia falsification went.

The Buckmon probe never reached the Commerce Dept.’s OIG office until my story broke a few weeks ago.

As I’ve reported previously, the falsification in Philadelphia allegedly continued to the present day. And, I was told, people working in that office knew data that reduced the unemployment rate was what was desired right before the 2012 Presidential election.

The jobless rate did fall sharply in the months immediately before the election, raising many eyebrows.

Census supervisors are generally in charge of hundreds of enumerators. And because all the surveys done by Census are scientific — including the ones conducted for the Labor Department — each questionnaire filled out represents thousands of families.

Buckmon is alleged to have faked at least 100 questionnaires a month which would have added up to the falsified information representing around 50,000 households.

Depending on how many others were doing what Buckmon was doing in Philadelphia, the damage to the Labor Department jobless survey — as well as others — could have been significant.

The actions of the Philadelphia Census Bureau are now being investigated by the Commerce Department’s OIG. Commerce, whose leaders are political appointments, oversees Census.

There are also at least two Congressional committees looking into the Census’ handling of data, including one that could turn into a wide-ranging probe by the Republican-controlled House Oversight Committee.

“The Commerce Department and Census Bureau are being less than cooperative with the Committee’s investigation,” said Oversight spokesman Ahmad. “They are slow-rolling the Committee on document production and the scheduling of transcribed interviews of key staff with firsthand knowledge of what occurred in Philadelphia.”

Ahmad said “The (Census) Bureau’s delay tactics raise suspicions that the agency lacks a firm grasp on these data quty issues.” He said the Committee wants “un-redacted copies of all the documents the Committee is seeking and make all requested employees available for transcribed interviews.”

Here are some of the things I want to know:

– Why didn’t the Census Bureau and Commerce Department do a legitimate probe of the Philadelphia office when accusations were made that some of the most important data this country produces were being manipulated? The Inspector General took quick action in Brooklyn at virtually the same time, so ignorance of the law or failure to understand the importance of the matter couldn’t have been the reasons.

– Since two supervisors in Brooklyn were disciplined but none in Philly, was someone higher up really protecting the bosses that Buckmon accused? What was so special about the Philadelphia Census office?

– Was Philadelphia spared because it was doing someone’s political bidding? Did the failure to stop data falsification in Philadelphia during 2010 mean that office was doing someone higher up a favor?

I have many more questions but let’s leave it at that.

Meanwhile, I’ve filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for 2009 through 2011 emails and letters that went from the Commerce Department’s General Counsel Cameron Kerry to his peer, the general counsel’s office at the Census Bureau.

I haven’t asked for communications related to the Buckmon. But I’m looking into another matter where Kerry may have told Census to conduct its 2010 nationwide survey in a way that didn’t conform to part of the existing law.

I’ll be more specific at another time.

Cameron Kerry, by the way, is the younger brother for former Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry.

Commerce looks as if it is going to stonewall me as well. Shortly after I filed my FOIA request with the Commerce Department, I got a notification that it had been “transferred to another agency.” But it doesn’t say which agency or why it was redirected. My request for a clarification was ignored.