Substantive Oversight Expertise

Carmen Group’s Government Oversight Practice helps clients manage situations created by congressional or federal agency investigations. We focus on proactive, strategic communications plans that enable clients to effectively understand, respond to and cooperate with government objectives. We seek win-win solutions that resolve issues and obviate any need for adversarial litigation. An effective oversight strategy enhances relationships on both sides of the aisle and seizes opportunities to inform, educate and advance on proposed policies and processes.

Democrats of the 111th Congress are expected to significantly increase congressional oversight. The call for increased government accountability continues, indelible electronic records provide rich grist for the mill and the economic crisis has intensified public focus on track records and performance. Oversight’s presence will color formal and informal discussions and the actions of appropriators and authorizers. It will surface in the course of nomination hearings and floor debates.

Carmen Group has wide-ranging strategic relationships and a long history of working with legislative, regulatory and investigative organizations and officials. We have substantive expertise on how to anticipate situations, respond to initial queries, create campaign strategies and execute effective tactics.

Special Expertise

• Proactive, anticipatory strategies
• Technical investigative process
• Working with congressional committees
• Working with federal agencies
• Responding to subpoenas and inquiries
• Preparing effective testimony
• Addressing regulatory enforcement inequities

Proven Record of Working Effectively With

• White House
• Congress
• Department of Justice
• U.S. Attorneys Offices
• U.S. Corporations
• Local Governments
• Foreign Governments
• Educational Institutions
• Federal Contractors
• Transportation Interests
• Environmental Organizations
• Healthcare Institutions

Our Experts

Our Government Oversight experts combine over five decades of U.S. government and private sector experience in investigations, hearings and litigation, with a thorough understanding of how the oversight process can be most effectively managed.

Franklin Silbey has 17 years of specialized House and Senate staff experience. In 1972, he joined the offices of Representative John E. Moss (D-CA), the author of the Freedom of Information Act, in the newly created position of Chief of Investigations. In 1979, he was appointed staff director of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Oversight Committee, under Senators Max Baucus (M-MT) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA). In 1981, he became Chief of Investigations, Senate Labor Committee, under Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT). His investigations have included malfunctions of the M-16 rifle, gas tank explosions of the Ford Pinto, organized crime, product safety, and deliberate Air Force misappropriations.

Bill Outhier was Republican Chief Counsel and Investigative Counsel on the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs. His responsibilities included conducting investigations, preparing hearings, reports and press releases, and drafting legislation. He also assisted Senator Fred Thompson in writing articles and preparing for television and print interviews. He was the principal policy advisor to Senator Thompson for campaign finance reform, election reform, certain homeland security issues and issues involving Federal Inspectors General. He also advised Senator Thompson on bio-terrorism, energy restructuring and global climate change issues. Bill also directed the Republican Committee staff investigation on the collapse of Enron.