More Blah Blah Blah From

Mayday Project, Karen Forschner and Jenna Lucha Thayer

QUOTE FROM MAYDAY- "Mayday has noted the content of her [Karen Forschner] claims of unethical and improper proceedings observed during her short term participating in the TBDWG."

QUESTION- Could it be that the ethics rules designed for EVERYONE serving on federal committees is why Karen Forschner and Susan Green- who are both attorneys- quit?

The ethics rules would cut into their ability to make money on anything Lyme related, including law suits they have in progress or are planning to file.

The ethics rules apply to everyone. Those still working with the TBD working group as patient representatives obviously don't have a problem giving of their time and putting patients first.

QUOTE- "You may not use nonpublic information to further your own or another's interests. Information designated nonpublic ranges from that protected from disclosure by law, to information that has not been authorized to be made available to the public."

RESPONSE- The rules are also WHY the members can't share information with the public. It is not LDA/Pat Smith's fault, or anyone else, it is the rules that were set up for all people working on these types of committees/groups.

With that in mind you might want to stop harassing the group and sending them emails telling them to share info they are not permitted to share. It's a waste of your time and makes everyone doing it look crazy.

Group members can not have conflicts of interest related to the groups agenda

Can not participate in matters that would affect your financial interests (example- participating in lawsuits against IDSA/CDC, etc.)

Attorneys would be unable to practice law (related to the TBD topic) unless they do it as a volunteer for the benefit of the community

Members can not serve as witnesses in any proceeding (related to the TBD topic)

Members can not accept money for speaking, writing or teaching (related to the TBD topic)

Members can not participate in fund raising or political activities related to the TBD topic (to include such things as even wearing buttons)

Prohibited from using public office for financial gain for yourself, friends, relatives and organizations

Members can not accept gifts from anyone who has or seeks business with the Department or from an organization composed of such persons.

Source- https://www.justice.gov/jmd/summary-government-ethics-rules-special-government-employees

SUMMARY OF GOVERNMENT ETHICS RULES FOR SPECIAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES

Conflicts of Interest

The governing statute on financial conflicts of interest is 18 U.S.C. § 208. It prohibits participating in matters that affect your financial interests as well as those of your spouse, minor child, or a general partner; an organization which you serve as an officer, director, trustee, partner or employee; or an organization you are negotiating with for future employment.

If you have a continuing financial interest in your law firm or another employer, or if your spouse is a partner in a firm, you would have to disqualify yourself or seek a waiver before participating in any matter affecting the firm's interests.

Outside Activities

Generally, you should not engage in outside activities, including employment, that conflict with your official duties. An activity conflicts with your duties if it would require you to disqualify yourself from matters so critical that your ability to perform your duties would be impaired. 5 CFR 2635.802. A Justice Department rule prohibits the outside practice of law unless it is uncompensated and in the nature of community service or on behalf of yourself, your parents, spouse or children.

Teaching, Speaking and Writing

You may not serve as an expert witness with or without compensation in any proceeding before a court or agency of the U.S. in which the U.S. is a party or has an interest and in which you have participated as a government employee,

You are prohibited from accepting compensation, not to include travel expenses, for speaking, writing and teaching, other than at a recognized institution, that relates to your official duties.

FundRaising

You may not engage in fundraising in your official capacity unless authorized by law or regulation.

Political Activities

You are also restricted from engaging in political activities, to include wearing buttons, while on duty or in a government office or a government vehicle.

Misuse of Position

You are generally prohibited from using your public office for your own private gain or that of friends, relatives, or persons with whom you are affiliated. This includes a non-profit organization in which you hold office or are a member, and persons with whom you have, or seek, employment or business relations.

You may not use nonpublic information to further your own or another's interests. Information designated nonpublic ranges from that protected from disclosure by law, to information that has not been authorized to be made available to the public.

Gifts

In general, you may not accept gifts from anyone who has or seeks business with the Department or from an organization composed of such persons. You are also prohibited from accepting a gift given because of your official position.

Supplemental Income

Special government employees are not subject to the statute that prohibits other employees from accepting compensation for services to the government from anyone but the government.

Seeking Other Employment

Under the standards of conduct, you may be required to disqualify yourself from participating in a matter that affects the financial interests of a prospective employer when you are seeking, but not yet negotiating for employment.

Post-employment Restrictions

A former employee is prohibited from representing someone else before the government on a particular matter involving specific parties in which he participated personally and substantially while working for the government and in which the U.S. is a party or has a substantial interest.

For two years, a former employee is prohibited from representing someone else before the government on a particular matter involving specific parties that he knows was pending under his official responsibility for the last year of government service and in which the U.S. is a party or has a substantial interest.

Link Here

https://www.justice.gov/jmd/summary-government-ethics-rules-special-government-employees

Experts, consultants and other advisers who serve in the federal government on a temporary basis are classified as special-government employees, or SGEs, a category of employee created by Congress in 1962. Some are paid, others are not. Many keep their full-time jobs while working in government. They can work for no more than 130 days during any calendar year.

https://projects.propublica.org/trump-town/staffers/category/sge?page=1

3/30/18

Facebook- The Mayday Project

The Mayday Project If Karen decides to release a Public Statement on her observations and experiences in the TBDWG, Mayday would bring this to the attention of our followers. Any decision on her part to do so, or refrain from doing so, must be her choice, as there existspotential repercussions to her personally, for speaking out. It is not appropriate for anyone else to compile her comments on our page and issue a statement of their own. We respect her rights to do so, or not do so, as this is her accounting to relate, not ours.

Mayday provides a public forum for people to express themselves by communicating their opinions, their experiences and observations. We encourage participation in this process, because the more we talk to each other, the more we will know. Knowledge is power.

Our goal resulting from this process, is to figure out and report the facts about issues relevant to Lyme patients, as accurately as possible.

Mayday has not, and will not, be involved in any way, with expressing any opinion to Ms. Forschner on the subject of whether or not she should, or should not, issue any formal Public Statement. This is entirely her decision to make.

Mayday has noted the content of her claims of unethical and improper proceedings observed during her short term participating in the TBDWG.

We find this information to be very concerning. We have responded and taken action accordingly, by encouraging citizen inquiries concerning the inner workings of the process.

The fact that this process has been largely obscured from public view, alongside her claims of serious improprieties occurring within the TBDWG, gives us grave cause for alarm.

We welcome and thank every person, including Ms. Forschner, to aid us in providing and disseminating information relevant to the Lyme Community.

It is absolutely crucial for patients to know what is going on within the TBDWG, so the members of the Lyme Community can make the appropriate responses.

We must all keep a close watch on all these proceedings and take decisive action in a timely manner. We must remain ever-vigilant to protect ourselves and our loved ones from any future actions planned to further deny our rights for medical treatment.