about her actions regarding Snyder and the trees, Mainella' said she failed to recall these meetings and conversations. However, C&O Canal NPS Acting Superintendent Kevin Brandt stated to investigators that he interacted with Director Mainella on multiple occasions regarding the Snyder deal and that she was the driving force behind the issue from the NPS side. The report concluded that both Smith and Brandt made false statements during the investigation and that Smith and Mainella's contrasting accounts of what happened prolonged the investigation and unnecessarily cost the government additional time and monies. The report further noted that Mainella had apparently falsely claimed during the investigation that the first time she learned of the issue was in an article in the Washington Post, and that she failed to recall if or when she'd ever attended a Washington Redskins football game. The report concluded Snyder should not have cut the trees and the NPS violated law and policy in permitting him to do so. The report further stated the Office of Inspector General had presented their findings to the Fraud and Public Corruption Unit of the U.S. Attorney's Office for Washington, DC for criminal prosecution, but that the U.S. Attorney's Office declined to prosecute the case and the matter was referred back to NPS for administrative adjudication. Shortly thereafter, Mainella resigned as director of the NPS. Mainella's Special Assistant, Smith, later said in an interview that he had received a letter of reprimand in April 2006 for "overstepping his discretion" but defended his actions, claiming he did "nothing tawdry." Career References External links DOI Official Biography Clemson University Park & Recreation Faculty Mainella Joins Clemson Biography Pugsley Award Children & Nature Network Living people 1947 births Directors of the National Park Service People from Willimantic, Connecticut Central Connecticut State University alumni University of Connecticut alumni