Posted: Wed, Sep 22, 2010, 12:00 AM ET (0400 GMT)
NASA administration did not violate any laws when he contacted an executive with a company he owns stock in, but was in conflict with an ethics pledge he took, an investigation concluded Monday. The NASA Office of Inspector General investigation communications between Bolden and Marathon Oil Corporation, a company Bolden previously served as a director of and owned stock in. Bolden had contacted an executive there to seek an opinion on a biofuels research program the agency was supporting. Concern about a potential conflict of interest led to the investigation, but the inspector general found no evidence of wrongdoing. However, the report concluded that the contact "was not consistent with the Ethics Pledge" Bolden has signed. No further action is anticipated, and Bolden has recused himself from any decisions involving the biofuels program.
