The District of Columbia Board of Ethics and Government Accountability (“BEGA”) announced today that it has selected Brent Wolfingbarger to serve as the Director of Government Ethics. The Director position was established by the Board of Ethics and Government Accountability Establishment and Comprehensive Ethics Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2012. The Director is responsible for assisting BEGA in administering the Code of Conduct applicable to District employees and public officials; issuing ethics-related rules and regulations governing District employees and public officials; receiving, investigating and adjudicating violations of the Code of Conduct; training District employees and public officials on ethics standards; administering the financial disclosure and lobbyist registration systems; and providing formal and informal ethics advice. The Director serves at the pleasure of the Board’s members, who are nominated by the Mayor and confirmed by the Council, but are otherwise independent.
Mr. Wolfingbarger has practiced law for more than 24 years, most recently directing a federal contractor’s measurement of improper payments made by the Medicaid and CHIP programs in all 50 States and the District of Columbia, which together paid an estimated $569B in claims during FY2016. Between November 2011 and July 2016, Mr. Wolfingbarger served in the Office of the Inspector General for the District of Columbia, serving first as the Deputy Director of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit before being promoted to Director in May 2015. Prior to joining the Office of the Inspector General, Mr. Wolfingbarger served as an assistant prosecutor and operated his own private practice, handling a broad spectrum of matters including criminal defense, civil rights and election law cases.
“I am honored by the Board’s faith in selecting me to serve as its Director of Government Ethics,” Wolfingbarger said. “The Board’s mission is a noble one, and I look forward to leading its efforts to ensure that the integrity of the District’s government merits the confidence of its citizens.”
Mr. Wolfingbarger received his bachelor’s degree from West Virginia University and his law degree from Washington & Lee University.