Shame, shame!

Federal investigators are looking into the fishy conduct of several Interior Department officials who appear to have interfered in decisions to protect endangered species.

The announcement comes in the wake of an investigation into the conduct of Julie MacDonald, a former Interior official, who resigned last year. After it was clear MacDonald’s behavior may have swayed some rulings, U.S. Fish and Wildlife overturned seven of them that had withheld further protections for endangered species, according to The Associated Press. Still, Robin Nazzaro, the Government Accountability Office’s lead investigator, criticized the federal agency for such a narrow investigation.

GAO is now investigating four other officials, three of whom are Bush administration appointees. The officials allegedly put political pressure on subordinates who were overseeing some cases.