BBC: Ex-WikiLeaks Man ‘Deleted Files’
Summary: A former WikiLeaks spokesman, who worked closely with Julian Assange before they had a falling out, has claimed he deleted thousands of unpublished documents that had been given to the site, including a full copy of the U.S. "No-Fly" list. WikiLeaks says that among the destroyed files was “data relating to Bank of America, the internal communications of 20 neo-Nazi organizations and US intercept information for ‘over a hundred internet companies.’”
The former spokesman has since set up a rival whistleblower site called OpenLeaks.
Related Article: Reuters
The New York Times: Under Bloomberg, a Sharp Rise in Accusations of Cheating by Educators
Summary: Since New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was first elected, allegations of test-tampering and grade-changing have more than tripled in the city school system. The school system’s current chancellor believes this has to do with improved reporting, “driven by things like stronger whistle-blower protections and the ease of sending an anonymous complaint by e-mail.”
Summary: Seven employees of the Portland Transportation Bureau who reported falsified timecards, lack of bridge maintenance, and stolen parking meter money have faced retaliation from coworkers and supervisors, despite being assured confidentiality. Two say they were forced from their jobs.
Shenzhen Daily (China): Shanxi Vinegar Whistleblower Resigns
Summary: A top official of Chinese company Shanxi Vinegar has resigned under pressure from the industry after he revealed that many top-selling vinegars are “actually blends of undiluted acetic acid, water and additives.”
Los Angeles Times: Whistleblower Lawsuit Against Corinthian Colleges Restored
Summary: An appeals court has restored a whistleblower lawsuit against for-profit Corinthian Colleges, alleging that they were paying college recruiters bonuses based on the number of students recruited.
This comes only a couple weeks after Education Management Corp, another for-profit college chain, was accused of improper recruitment practices.
Factory Farms Flock to Idaho to Escape Regulation
Summary: GAP's Food Integrity Campaign blogs about the increased lack of regulation required upon Idaho's meat and poultry industries – an appealing setting for large-scale animal farms infamous for polluting local water sources. Many factory farms have relocated there, and the numbers are likely to grow.
Hannah Johnson is the Communications Fellow for the Government Accountability Project, the nation's leading whistleblower protection and advocacy organization.
