Opinion ID: 2194712
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Claims of Procedural Errors by the Hearing Examiner.

Text: Sims asserts that the hearing examiner erred in failing to grant him a hearing or to compel timely discovery to help him develop his claims. Both of his allegations of error, however, are based on the premise that the errors affected Sims's ability to build an evidentiary record. But the basis of his claims are matters of public record: (1) the CMPA's requirements that the Mayor publish lists of Excepted Service positions and their appointees, as well as changes thereto, in the D.C. Register within specified time limits; [7] and (2) the lists actually published from 1979 to 1983. When asked at oral argument what prevented him from compiling this information, the answer was that a lot was happening at the time, that he changed lawyers twice during the instant proceedings, that it was difficult for him to locate copies of the D.C. Register and that the record was being developed over a long period of time. These reasons, even if viewed in their totality, simply do not amount to exceptional circumstances. [8] We note, however, that even if we were to decide this issue in Sims's favor, which we do not, our ultimate disposition would be the same, because we agree with the OEA's conclusion that Sims's appointment to the Excepted Service was invalid on other grounds. Thus, we turn to what we consider to be the dispositive question, that is, whether Sims obtained a vested right in the salary that accompanied his appointment.