Now this is tricky, because these groups helped him navigate the treacherous waters of the mainstream media, with mixed results, during his prosecution and through his send-off to prison. So for John Kiriakou to say the following about groups like the Project on Government Oversight (and implicitly the Government Accountability Project), when they expect loyalty in return (Washington being a transactional town and all), is nothing short of astounding:
No one knows this better than John Kiriakou, the CIA agent who reported to federal prison two weeks ago for blowing the whistle on the agency’s use of torture. During an interview at an Arlington, Va., coffee shop, Kiriakou said the time has come for Washington watchdog groups—organizations like Public Citizen, Project on Government Oversight, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, and others—to admit that President Obama hasn’t come close to making good on his promise to make government more transparent and accountable.
“Dan Ellsberg. He called me again last night,” said Kiriakou, referring to the man who in 1971 leaked the Pentagon Papers and opened the world’s eyes to the United States’ long involvement in Vietnam. “We talk about this all the time. He keeps asking me, ‘Where is the outrage? If this were a Republican administration, people would be in the streets, right? We would be marching in the streets. But people cut Obama a break to the point of irrationality.’ ”
This comes just a few days after this author sent Mr. Kiriakou a letter* urging him to consider who should speak on his behalf. Where it gets complicated is that GAP currently manages his legal defense fund, which is helping to support his family. That should continue unabated, regardless what insights Mr. Kiriakou shares with the world that prove uncomfortable for GAP and its cohorts.
*This author does not take any credit for this development. From his perspective, it is just a welcome coincidence.
MSPB Watch – thanks for sharing the story Kiriakou and why GAP, POGO, CREW and other watchdog organizations offer nothing more than a plastic shield. They might have cared about whistleblowers in the beginning. Sadly, as they have grown in size and developed close affiliations with government agencies and perpetrators intent on harming whistlelblowers, they have compromised their mission. They care much more about themselves and their own welfare than that of persons of conscience they ought to be helping.
I know this firsthand. I only became a whistleblower after GAP and the NTEU provided me with false hopes. They told me at the start not to worry that they would be there for me, support me, and ultimately offer me legal support when the time it became necessary. Little did I know that when I needed them most to save my career, they never returned my emails or phone calls. I was duped. It was nothing more than a “bait and switch” by these watchdogs.
Whenever I have the opportunity, I caution others do not be a whistleblower if you do not have something in writing that support will be in hand. Learn from my situation. I would be happy to be on any forum or interview by the media to tell others the rest of the story. Keep up the excellent communication, MSPB Watch, on this topic. You are doing a great service for everyone to know the pitfalls of being a whistleblower.
I write about the pitfalls in great detail in my book just published. It is on Amazon.com and B&N, titled, “American Betrayal” by John Doe, whistleblower.
It really doesn’t have to be this way.