NGO Accountability
De-Muddying the Waters: GAP’s Compromised Role as Lobbyists, Not Lawyers
It has become an entrenched trope, a go-to defense, for the Government Accountability Project and its defenders to claim that GAP “can’t help everybody,” or “they helped me for free,” when its performance as an accountability organization comes under questioning. This line of deflection–this conscious blurring of the line between its functions as lawyers and lobbyists–is […]
Julia Davis’ Response to Tom Devine/Robert MacLean’s Character Attacks
David: Thank you for posing valid questions to all parties. [Link added -Ed.] As you know, I am determined to be fair and clinical in my reporting. I certainly stand by everything I wrote, as it was based on evidence and witness statements. Funny enough, MacLean continues to refer to my articles on the Examiner as […]
Tom Devine’s “Meritless Thuggery”
Last week, former Special Counsel Scott Bloch was lambasted in the blogosphere for harassing bloggers with vague allegations of defamation when they dared to report the truth about him. Now GAP Legal Director Tom Devine is doing something similar–alleging others have credibility/honesty problems–without backing it with specifics, as would be the decent and honest thing […]
Whistleblower Relations Under the Microscope
TSA Whistleblower Robert MacLean was recently interviewed by Peter B. Collins, along with MacLean’s attorney, Tom Devine. The entire interview is worth listening but this exchange was particularly poignant (it may not be up yet–this post will be updated when it is). Peter B. Collins, at 31:49: Now Robert, as I mentioned, I’ve talked with […]
Fact Check: POGO Reinforces Myth of “No Safe Channel” for National Security Whistleblowers
In a Huffington Post article April 16, Project of Government Oversight Executive Director Danielle Brian lamented the purported lack of avenues for national security whistleblowers. As stated in the article, Until Congress does act, said Brian, leakers’ only recourse will be through journalists, Congress’s “worst fear.” “Those national security employees who feel like they have to do […]
1978 to 2012: Transparency and Congressional Deliberation of Whistleblower Laws through the Years
In 1978, Congress debated the Civil Service Reform Act extensively. It was a landmark, once-in-a-century effort. Naturally, there would be a lot of coverage. Deliberations in the Senate took 12 days, deliberations in the House took 13 days, and the House-Senate conference took place over at least 6 days, according to records recently discovered in […]
Firedoglake: Can It Be Both a ‘Progressive News Site’ and an ‘Action Organization’ in Its Present State?
Allow me to juxtapose some notions and statements that may not be compatible. From the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics: Journalists should: — Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived. — Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integrity or damage credibility. — Disclose unavoidable conflicts. From a Dissenter post titled […]
“Truth never damages a cause that is just” -Gandhi
Firedoglake’s Kevin Gosztola helpfully opined yesterday that I see what you are doing as being more divisive to the cause of fighting the war on whistleblowing. You have not demonstrated to me that what you are doing is about more than having some kind of beef with Jesselyn [Radack]. It seems like you have an […]
Fact Check Update: NSA Whistleblower Thomas Drake All But Concedes GAP NDAA Amicus Was Premised on False Statement
In a Firedoglake discussion, NSA whistleblower Thomas Drake said the following: During the 2001-2006 timeframe, OSC was not in a position to properly process the very sensitive (and even highly classified disclosures I made to Congress and later to the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General) involving intelligence activities and programs at the NSA. […]
