Ask the Lawyer received the following question (paraphrased for easier reading and clarity) from a reader on a legal matter that might be of interest to the entire audience. Q: If an employee is under investigation by a supervisor and the supervisor has a personal grudge against the employee, is that something that an Inspector General (IG) can investigate? Does backdating a performance report constitute falsifying government documents? A: It depends on the nature of the personal grudge. Among other things, IGs are authorized to investigate allegations of violation of law, rules, or regulations; mismanagement; gross waste of funds; abuse…