Doug Kmiec Waterboarding Maltese Officials With His Drivel

Maltese Officials have written a rather embarrassing critique of Doug Kmiec's tenure as Ambassador of Malta.

In short, he is ignoring his duties and wasting all his time writing, and then forcing embassy officials to waste their time reading his drivel.

Based on a belief that he was given a special mandate to promote President Obama’s interfaith initiatives, he has devoted considerable time to writing articles for publication in the United States as well as in Malta, and to presenting his views on subjects outside the bilateral portfolio. He has been inconsistent in observance of clearance procedures required for publication. He also looks well beyond the bilateral relationship when considering possible events for the mission to host in Malta. His approach has required Department principals, as well as some embassy staff, to spend an inordinate amount of time reviewing his writings, speeches, and other initiatives. His official schedule has been uncharacteristically light for an ambassador at a post of this size, and on average he spends several hours of each work day in the residence, much of which appears to be devoted to his nonofficial writings.

At the same time, he has not focused sufficiently on key management issues within the embassy. . .Within weeks of the team’s departure, however, he resumed drafting public essays that addressed subjects outside his purview as Ambassador to Malta and detracted from his core responsibilities. These activities also detracted from the core responsibilities of embassy staff members who devoted time and effort to reviewing and editing the ambassador’s drafts and seeking approvals occasionally after the writings had been submitted for publication from Department officials.

The Office of the Inspector General report is HERE.

It paints a picture of a man who has completely abandoned is duties and his staff.

This recommendation was among several from the OIG:

RECOMMENDATION 1: The Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs
should require the Ambassador to report on his efforts to refocus attention on
mission priorities and eliminate his use of embassy and Department resources
on nonofficial writings. (Action: EUR)

Ugh. I hope this doesn't mean he'll soon be packing up his memoirs and bringing them back to the US.