Harper's Magazine: Traitor - Six Questions for Jesselyn Radack
Jesselyn Radack
Today, GAP National Security & Human Rights Director Jesselyn Radack is being honored with the Hugh M. Hefner Foundation First Amendment Award. Radack is co-winner in the government category with Thomas Drake (National Security Agency whistleblower and GAP client). Radack and Drake are being acknowledged for their critical work exposing national security hypocrisy and abuses.
The above article is a brief interview with Radack regarding her experience as a whistleblower at the Department of Justice regarding the treatment of 'American Taliban' John Walker Lindh.
The Guardian: Bradley Manning Lawyer in Struggle to Have Government Documents Released
The attorney for Bradley Manning, the soldier accused of providing a trove of classified documents to WikiLeaks, has lodged a motion over the federal government's refusal to disclose "250,000 pages of documents relating to the transmission of state secrets" to WikiLeaks. The lawyer wrote that the government "revealed to him in a throwaway footnote" the documents, which the defense says it needs.
McClatchy: State Dept. Promotes Freedom Abroad But Suppresses Whistleblower Here
This op-ed criticizes Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and the Department, for her hypocrisy between issuing statements on free speech vs. actions regarding the treatment of agency whistleblower (and GAP client) Peter Van Buren. While Clinton "forcefully intervened" on behalf of a prominent Chinese dissident regarding his free speech rights, and continues to praise the importance of free speech in countries around the world, the Department is retaliating against Van Buren for writing a book and maintaining a blog critical of state department policy in Iraq.
NPR: Conspiracies Swirl as Vatican Scandal Engulfs Rome
More information from Vatican whistleblowers is being revealed in the Italian press, as the ongoing scandal continues to expose the inner-workings and possible corruption (financial wrongdoings) of the typically opaque institution.
Related Article: AFP
The Guardian: Drone Wars and State Secrecy - How Barack Obama Became a Hardliner
This article analyzes how liberal supporters have become disillusioned with the actions of President Barack Obama regarding national security policies, including the use of drone attacks and the administration's war on intelligence whistleblowers.
Key Quote: Many disillusioned supporters would agree. Jesselyn Radack was a justice department ethics adviser under Bush who became a whistleblower over violations of the legal rights of "American Taliban" John Walker Lindh. Now Radack works for the Government Accountability Project, defending fellow whistleblowers. She campaigned for Obama, donated money and voted for him. Now she has watched his administration – which promised transparency and whistleblower protection – crack down on national security whistleblowers.
It has used the Espionage Act – an obscure first world war anti-spy law – six times. That is more such uses in three years than all previous presidents combined. Cases include John Kiriakou, a CIA agent who leaked details of waterboarding, and Thomas Drake, who revealed the inflated costs of an NSA data collection project that had been contracted out.
Tri-City Herald: Judge Rules Hanford Whistleblower Can't Have Jury Trial
A judge has ruled that Hanford whistleblower Walt Tamosaitis will not have his case against contractor URS Energy and Construction heard before a jury. Tamosaitis' attorney plans to appeal. Tamosaitis alleges that he was retaliated against after raising serious safety concerns regarding the Hanford vitrification plant.
Dylan Blaylock is Communications Director for the Government Accountability Project, the nation's leading whistleblower protection and advocacy organization.
