Shirley Sherrod, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack go over 'Lessons Learned'

Ousted Agriculture Department official Shirley Sherrod declined to rejoin the department on Tuesday during a 90-minute meeting with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. He shared with Sherrod the findings of an internal review conducted in the days after her resignation. Here's a brief summary of the key questions and findings prepared by USDA lawyers. They were billed as "Lessons Learned":

Question 1: Did the department respond appropriately to Sherrod's remarks?

Answer: The department "mishandled" the controversy by asking her to resign before fully investigating the facts.

Recommendation: Officials should follow proper protocol in the future by reviewing all relevant facts before making a decision.

Question 2: Were the appropriate officials consulted before Sherrod resigned?

Answer: No.

Recommendation: Senior officials working on issues requiring Vilsack's attention should be consulted before he makes a final decision.

Question 3: Did the USDA appropriately communicate with Sherrod before she resigned?

Answer: Sherrod was consulted "without an opportunity for a deliberative conversation," the report said.