Political Rating Systems in the Department of Defense

GAO discussed a report in which it documented: (1) the extent to which Navy political rating files were used with the Department of Defense; (2) the identity of those individuals who were involved in compiling the files; and (3) the specific purpose of the rating files. The Navy Office of Legislative Affairs began developing numerical ratings on its own in early 1982, based on selected votes for each member of Congress. GAO did not find any evidence that the Office of Legislative Affairs received any instructions or orders from higher authority within the Department of the Navy or the Department of Defense to develop the system. The Director of Plans and Operations in the Navy's Office of Legislative Affairs did the rating of all Members of Congress. The ratings were used as a measure of congressional Members' attitudes on issues and programs considered important to the Navy. Records pertaining to the ratings were destroyed. Shortly after it was disclosed in the Congressional Record that the Navy was rating Congressmen, senior Navy officials directed that the ratings be discontinued and supporting materials destroyed.