Illinois Ag Gag Bill Dies in House Committee
Summary: Last week, the Illinois House Judiciary Committee tabled the state's Ag Gag bill, which would have criminalized whistleblowers who record undercover video at animal facilities, including agricultural operations. This action essentially removes the bill for consideration this session – a victory for whistleblower rights. GAP's Food Integrity Campaign applauds the move, which took place days after Iowa passed similar legislation.
Related Article: Chicago Tribune
Summary: A former spokesman for the Department of Justice now calls the prosecution of NSA whistleblower/GAP client Thomas Drake “ill-considered,” despite saying, at the time, that the case was brought “on its merits.”
Key Quote: “This is not just backtracking,” said [GAP’s] Jesselyn Radack, one of Drake’s attorneys. “It is complete revisionist history.”
Herald-Tribune (FL): Palmetto School Illegally Fired Whistleblower, Government Says
Summary: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is suing a Florida charter school for allegedly firing a whistleblower who reported electrical safety issues.
Truthdig: Supreme Court Likely to Endorse Obama’s War on Whistleblowers
Summary: In this article, Chris Hedges asserts that if the Supreme Court were to rule in favor of the government in one of the Espionage Act prosecutions, the government would have a “de facto official secrets act.”
Key Quote: A ruling in favor of the government would instantly criminalize all disclosures of classified information to the public. It would shut down one of the most important functions of the press. And at that point any challenges to the official versions of events would dry up.
ABC 10 News (CA): Lawsuit Filed Against Utility Action Group UCAN
Summary: Two employees from a San Diego utility action group have filed whistleblower complaints against the organization, claiming the executive director was engaged in questionable financial dealings.
Summary: Eyal Press appears on Democracy Now! to talk about the courage of whistleblowers and his new book.
Key Quote: "On the one hand, when you see them cast in Hollywood movies, they’re invariably heroes, played by leading actors and actresses, and everybody salutes them... On the other hand, when we have whistleblowers actually speaking up in real time, the response is very different."
Hannah Johnson is Communications Associate for the Government Accountability Project, the nation's leading whistleblower protection and advocacy organization.
Tuesday, 13 March 2012