As the Bush administration enters its final six months, truthtellers in government positions should take care: government officials will be tempted to sweep their agencies clean of evidence and whistleblowers before a new administration takes over.
Already, the Bush administration has issued a new executive memo allowing government agencies to conjure up their own penalties for disclosing information covered by a new, broad and poorly defined controls on information (thanks, smintheus). It's a bad portent of things to come.
Saving truthtellers and restoring government integrity depends on proposed legislation that would give whistleblowers badly-needed protections; legislation that is now stalled.
Even the best laws demanding integrity and transparency are useless if insiders fear reporting abuses. As the speakers at next week's conference will describe, whistleblowers are critical to exposing negligence and corruption that threaten public safety, national security and fiscal soundness.
The International Assembly of Whistleblowers invites the public, members of Congress and journalists to attend the workshops, forums and other events scheduled for May 12-18, in Washington, D.C. There is no charge to attend, but please register if you can.
Monday, May 12
Monday's schedule include the following events sponsored by the Government Accountability Project. [Note: Information from GAP publications used with permission.]
"Secret Domestic Surveillance,"
(9:00 - 9:50 am, Stewart Mott House, 122 Maryland Avenue, NE).
This workshop will discuss the implications of the National Security Agency (NSA) eavesdropping program on the First Amendment. It will also address warrant-less wiretapping in the context of attorney-client communications, terrorism investigations, the "state secrets privilege," and consider the implications for pending congressional showdowns such as telecom immunity in FISA legislation. (GAP news release)
Jesselyn Radack, a frequent diarist on Daily Kos and now GAP Homeland Security Director (congratulations, Jess!), will moderate a panel that also includes:
o Eric Lichtblau, Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalist who broke the government's secret surveillance program.
o Michelle Richardson, Legislative Counsel, ACLU
o Babak Pasdar, telecommunications whistleblower whose disclosure is credited with turning the tide in the House of Representatives denying corporate immunity in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). (GAP news release)
(I am also a panelist, and will describe USDA training that urged employees to spy on members of citizen organizations at their offices and homes.)
"Are We Safe When We Fly?: Issues of Aviation Safety & Security"
(10:00 - 10:55 am, Stewart Mott House, 122 Maryland Avenue, NE).
This panel focuses on the federal government's dangerous and deceptive policy of shielding the industry from liability; failing to execute genuine protections against terrorism while fostering a false pretense of safety; and retaliating against federal and aviation industry employees who witness and report threats to aviation safety and security.(Government Accountability Project)
Panelists include:
o Ingrid Drake (Moderator), Fellow, Project on Government Oversight
o Bogdan Dzakovic, Transportation Security Administration, FAA Red Team Whistleblower
o Gabe Bruno, Former FAA Manager
o Shawn McCullers, Former Federal Air Marshal (FAMS), TSA/DHS (GAP news release)
"Scientific Freedom & the Public Good"
(11:30 am - 12:25 pm, Stewart Mott House, 122 Maryland Avenue, NE).
This panel, co-sponsored by the Union of Concerned Scientists, addresses the effects of scientific censorship across a wide range of issues, including prescription drug safety, climate change, and mercury emission levels. (Government Accountability Project)
Panelists include:
o Celia Wexler (Facilitator), Washington Representative, Union of Concerned Scientists
o Rick Piltz, Former Senior Associate, U.S. Climate Change Science Program and Director of GAP's Climate Science Watch Program
o David Ross, FDA drug safety whistleblower
o Tim Donaghy, Researcher/Analyst, Union of Concerned Scientists (Government Accountability Project)
The public can also support whistleblowers (and learn a lot about how the system really works) by purchasing books by whistleblowing authors.
Book Signing
(6 pm, The Warehouse Arts Center, 1017-1021 7th St., NW)
Buy a whistleblower's book and have it autographed at the Warehouse Arts Center, one block from the Mt. Vernon Square metro stop. The event is sponsored by the VA Whistleblower Coalition (www.VAWBC.org). [Information from VAWBC flyer]
Authors tentatively scheduled to appear include:
Darlene Fitzgerald
Mike German, Rosemary Dew
Arthuretta Martin
Scott Harrington
Tom Devine
Here's your chance to assemble a library of whistleblower books that (tentatively) includes:
Col. (ret) Ann Wright's "Dissent: Voices of Conscience,"
German's "Thinking Like a Terrorist"
Fitzgerald's "BorderGate"
Jesselyn Radack's "Canary in the Coalmine"
Martin's "Speaking on Success"
Harrington's "Nursing Process"
Kohn, Kohn and Colapinto's "Whistleblower Law"
Dew's "My Life as Female Special Agent"
Devine's "The Art of Anonymous Activism.
While you're at the Warehouse, have some refreshments, enjoy the guitar music of "The Senior Lifeguards," and mingle with some great folks.
IF YOU CAN ATTEND ONLY ONE EVENT
I strongly recommend the following as an opportunity to learn about whistleblower legislation and issues, and to let Congress know of your support for whistleblower protections.
Joint Congressional Forum: Congress at the Crossroads for Your Rights (1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m., Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 342)
Several members of Congress or their staff members have been invited to attend. This forum includes a panel that will describe the pending legislation.
A speaker from Public Citizen will offer introductory remarks. Beth Slavet, former Chair of the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board, will moderate the discussion, which will include the following NGO's (with specialized expertise on specific issues):o National Employment Lawyers Association (Corporate Whistleblower Protection)
o Government Accountability Project (Jury Trial Rights)
o National Whistleblower Center (FBI/Intelligence Agency WPA Coverage)
o OMB Watch (Hybrid Secrecy Categories, State Secrets Privilege)
o Project on Government Oversight (Contractor Whistleblower Rights)
o Semmelweis Society: Alliance for Patient Safety (Medical Whistleblower Rights)
o Union of Concerned Scientists (Scientific Freedom)
American Federation of Government Employees (TSA/Screener whistleblower rights) (Government Accountability Project)
With healthcare so much in the news, the patient safety discussion is timely. Ditto for protecting FBI whistleblowers in the wake of the FBI's raid on the Office of Special Counsel. Global warming reminds us daily of the importance of scientific freedom.
Conclusion
We depend on many government agencies to watch out for our health, safety, rights and pocketbooks. But, who is watching the agencies? Their employees - the ones who face career-ending retaliation if they report wrongdoing. Without insiders to stand up for integrity, Congress cannot exercise its oversight responsibilities. And, as the White House imposes more layers of secrecy on the workings of government, those insiders need to be braver than ever.
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. I.U. has no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of this article nor is I.U endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
The Nazis, Fascists and Communists were political parties before they became enemies of liberty and mass murderers.
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