By Steve Neavling
A federal watchdog has cleared a top official of conflicts of interest in the selection of a Maryland site for the new FBI headquarters but found flaws in the decision-making process that gave the location an unfair advantage, The Washington Post reports.
The General Services Administration’s (GSA) decision in 2023 to move the FBI from downtown Washington to Greenbelt sparked protests from then-FBI Director Christopher Wray and Virginia lawmakers, who pushed for a site in Springfield. Maryland and Virginia had fought fiercely for the project, which is expected to generate billions in tax revenue.
A key complaint centered on Nina Albert, the GSA official who made the final call. Critics argued that her previous work with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, which owns the Greenbelt site, created a conflict of interest. But a report released Monday by the GSA’s inspector general found “no evidence” that Albert had a financial stake in the decision or violated ethics rules.
The report, however, raised concerns about how the site was chosen. Investigators found that officials placed an outsized emphasis on the lower cost of developing Greenbelt, a shift that “was not justified.” The review also found errors in cost estimates for Springfield, a lack of transparency on equity and sustainability considerations, and improper handling of text messages related to the process.
Albert has defended the selection, saying she evaluated criteria differently than a GSA panel that recommended Springfield.
“I think it’s a distraction, frankly, from the decision and the opportunity for the FBI to get the campus they’ve long waited for,” she said in late 2023.
Virginia lawmakers, unconvinced, maintain the process was manipulated. “The GSA Inspector General confirmed what has long been clear — the site selection process was fundamentally tainted,” Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., said. “As GSA cooked the books, important cost criteria were improperly weighted without sufficient rationale.”
It remains unclear whether the inspector general’s findings will end the controversy or fuel more challenges. The GSA and FBI declined to comment Monday.
President Trump has opposed moving the headquarters out of Washington, arguing it should remain in D.C.
