Photo courtesy of Flickr user BodsWBIR (TN): Gulf War Veteran Walks to Raise Awareness of Whistleblower Laws
Summary: A Gulf War veteran has been walking from Arizona to Washington, DC for the last four months in an effort to gain more support for whistleblowers. He has averaged 20-25 miles per day since leaving in February and hopes to make it to DC in early August.
The veteran says he was fired from his job at the Arizona Veterans Affairs office for blowing the whistle on executives’ embezzlement.
RT: Assange Extradition Looms as UK Court Rejects Appeal to Reopen Case
Summary: The UK Supreme Court has denied the appeal of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to reopen his extradition case. Assange faces questions in Sweden about an alleged sexual assault. He will likely be brought to Sweden in the next few weeks.
Related Articles: Wired, Associated Press
Syngenta vs. The Frogs: Atrazine's Health Effects Debated at EPA Meeting
Summary: GAP's Food Integrity Campaign attended the EPA meeting this week regarding the health risks of atrazine – one of the most commonly used herbicides in the United States. While atrazine manufacturer Syngenta insists that evidence showing adverse effects of the chemical remains lacking, an ecologist that studies amphibians suggests otherwise.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Fort Worth School District to Pay $135,000 to Whistleblower
Summary: A former employee of the Fort Worth school district will be reinstated and receive $135,000 to settle her whistleblower allegations that the district fired her for reporting problems with the new payroll system.
The Star (Canada): Quebec Government Didn’t Care About Corruption Report, Says Whistleblower
Summary: Two years ago, a Canadian official leaked a corruption report to the media because the government was not paying attention to it. The report details collusion and corruption within the construction industry. Now, after a major media storm, a public inquiry has finally been called to investigate the industry.
Government Executive: Proposed Change Would Make Options Clearer for Wronged Whistleblowers
Summary: More coverage on the proposed changes to the rules and regulations of the Merit Systems Protection Board, the federal agency aimed at providing justice for wronged workers. The new rules are aimed at clarifying the appeal options for whistleblowers who have faced retaliation.
KHON (HI): Whistleblower Lawsuit Accuses Queen’s Medical Center of Double-Billing
Summary: A whistleblower who worked for a medical center in Hawaii has revealed that the center was billing patients even after their insurance paid, as well as defrauding Medicare and Medicaid.
Hannah Johnson is Communications Associate for the Government Accountability Project, the nation's leading whistleblower protection and advocacy organization.
