Ousted federal election official gave himself a pay raise and misused funds for Harvard classes, watchdog says
Steven M. Frid, the former executive director of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, was fired after less than a year in the position.
Facing yet another contentious presidential election year, a federal bipartisan commission tasked with strengthening election security around the country quietly confirmed in January that its third executive director had departed the agency in as many years.
Now, a recently released government watchdog’s investigation summary shows why.
Steven M. Frid, the former executive director of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, was fired late last year after he gave himself a big pay raise and spent taxpayer money on Harvard University leadership classes without approval, an inspector general report found.
“Frid improperly sought and acquired an increase in his own pay of $31,450 annually without the awareness of EAC Commissioners, who were his supervisors,” according to an inspector general’s investigation summary, dated April 5 and made public Thursday.
Frid, who until the time of his pay boost was receiving an annual salary of $172,100, was able to give himself the raise “by applying for and receiving `critical pay’ authority from the Office of Personnel Management” unbeknownst to his bosses, the summary states.
Rating: 5