DC Department of Buildings Official Has Resigned

Caroline Lian, the now-former Deputy Director of the D.C. Department of Buildings (DOB), has been caught with her hand in not one, not two, but three cookie jars. Let’s dive into the details of this swampy situation and learn more about Lian’s resignation.

The Triple Threat: Three Jobs, One Ethical Nightmare

Caroline Lian’s web of deceit began to unravel when an investigation revealed she was simultaneously holding three positions: Deputy Director at the DOB, a six-figure job at Freddie Mac, and an elected position as a city councilmember in Falls Church, Virginia. Lian started working at the DOB in October 2022, earning a hefty $149,750 annually, which later increased to $175,000 after a promotion to deputy director. Meanwhile, she had been employed at Freddie Mac since 2015, also pulling in a six-figure salary.

D.C.’s Department of Buildings Deputy Director Caroline Lian, has resigned after an ethics probe found that in addition to her six-figure paying full-time job at the DOB, she also secretly had a second six-figure paying full-time job in the private sector. https://t.co/WyTvW9SRqP

— WUSA9 (@wusa9) August 11, 2024

The Cover-Up: Lies, Omissions, and “Clerical Errors”

Lian allegedly failed to disclose her Freddie Mac earnings in her public financial disclosure statements for 2022 and 2023. Additionally, she apparently underreported her income on the Falls Church City Council in 2022 and later amended it.

When interviewed by the Falls Church News-Press, Lian claimed that the fine she received for underreporting was the result of a “clerical error.” According to her, the actions against her have been “petty,” and she insisted she is “moving on” after correcting her paperwork and paying the penalties.

The Consequences: Resignations and Fines

As the walls closed in, Lian was forced to resign from her positions at both the DOB and the Falls Church City Council. The Board of Ethics didn’t let her off easy, slapping her with a $25,000 fine – one of the largest ethics fines in D.C. history. This penalty will be deducted from her final paycheck or unused leave compensation, ensuring that taxpayers aren’t footing the bill for her misdeeds.

BEGA found that Lian reported working eight-hour days at DOB while attending Falls Church City Council meetings more than 10 times despite it allegedly being only a part-time position.

Lian reportedly managed to juggle her DOB responsibilities with her Freddie Mac job by working in person at the DOB offices on Mondays and Fridays and teleworking the rest of the week, while maintaining the inverse schedule at Freddie Mac.

Another Resignation

Lian isn’t the only D.C. official who has faced these types of violations. The D.C. Public Library’s former human resources director, Lauren Graves, also resigned earlier this year after it was discovered she had a second full-time job and a part-time job as a doula.