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Mission: The Government Accountability Project (GAP) is a 30-year-old nonprofit public interest group that promotes government and corporate accountability by advancing occupational free speech, defending whistleblowers, and empowering citizen activists. We pursue this mission through our Nuclear Safety, International Reform, Corporate Accountability, Food & Drug Safety, and Federal Employee/National Security programs. GAP is the nation's leading whistleblower protection organization.
Current Program Highlights
12/11/2008
IFC VP for Risk Management Transferred
On Monday, December 8th, Michel Maila, Vice President for Risk Management at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), was transferred suddenly to the World Bank Group as Acting Chief Information Officer (CIO). The decision was announced to the Information Solutions Group (ISG) at the Bank on Monday evening, with no prior consultation or discussion, leaving many puzzled staff members in the chain of command.
Maila is a financial risk management analyst, not an IT expert, and he has been reassigned to a position that has recently been restricted in scope. In the wake of information system breaches at the Bank, responsibilities for information security were shifted from the CIO on November 25th to a new IT Executive Coordinating Council, chaired by Juan Jose Daboub, Managing Director. The CIO's remaining duties are correspondingly diminished. To make way for Maila's unexpected transfer, Guy De Poerck, former World Bank CIO, was hastily reassigned to Human Resources with vaguely defined duties.
Clearly, the sudden moving of Maila from the IFC comes at a precarious time for the institution, which has been the subject of concerned speculation for some months. Sources are reporting that the IFC portfolio is suffering the effects of the global financial crisis, and that Maila's risk models may have been too aggressive. Nonetheless, the abrupt transfer leaves the IFC without a risk management VP, and the Bank announcement made clear that no specific candidate is immediately available.
The Maila announcement suggests questions about the condition of the IFC's own finances as other private sector banks with similar portfolio.
12/2/2008
UN System Will Lack Justice Come January 2009
Unless the Secretary-General takes immediate action, there will be no functioning justice system at the United Nations on January 1. In other words, whistleblowers and other employees at the United Nations – the organization charged with promoting human rights – may have no venue whatsoever through which to defend their own rights.
Click here to read the explanation
11/26/2008
D.C. Fire Captain/Whistleblower Wrongfully Ordered to Take Psychological Evaluation
Today, the GAP filed a complaint against the District of Columbia and officials of the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, on behalf of an 18 year-career fire department captain, and whistleblower, who has been wrongfully ordered to submit to a psychological examination.
Click here to read GAP's full press release
11/26/2008
World Bank Shuffles Staff to Address Cyber-Breaches
In the wake of recent news reports showing serious breaches of the World Bank’s information security system, GAP has learned from sources inside the bank, as well as from an internal Bank announcement, that duties have been stripped from the institution’s Chief Information Officer. GAP's sources have stated that management has been "looking for a fall guy" to address the breaches.
Last night, Bank Manager Juan Jose Daboub sent out the announcement to bank staffers regarding new personnel addressing the security issues.
Click here to read GAP's full press release
Click here to read the internal Bank announcement
11/24/2008
GAP's Transition Memo to Obama about Federal Whistleblower Rights
GAP has submitted a transition memo to the Obama-Biden transition team detailing solutions for inadequate federal whistleblower protections. In this memo, GAP details why President-elect Obama should ask Congress to prioritize passing the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act. With all the competing priorities for the new Congress, it will take intervention from the new administration to ensure immediate passage.
Supporting government accountability by providing genuine protections to employees who expose waste, fraud and abuse will mark a drastic change from the current administration. Luckily, unlike so many other issues, the work is largely done. The bill is waiting for the President’s support and signature.
Click here for the transition memo
11/20/2008
GAP Questions World Bank Financial Cyber-Security
In the wake of recent news reports demonstrating serious breaches of the World Bank’s information security system, GAP has sent a letter to Bank President Robert Zoellick requesting an accounting of steps taken to address the issue. According to media reports and internal sources, the Bank’s records, which contain sensitive financial information from borrowing and donor countries, were repeatedly and illicitly accessed.
Click here to read the full press release
Click here to read the letter
11/18/2008
GAP Evaluates International Chamber of Commerce Guidelines on Whistleblowing
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has released Guidelines on Whistleblowing, which are meant to serve as a model for companies throughout the world in developing and implementing whistleblowing programs. Because these standards could play an important role in the international business community, GAP has evaluated them. GAP found that although the guidelines draw attention to the important role that whistleblowing systems can play in exposing fraud and could help raise the bar for corporate whistleblowing systems throughout the world, they are merely a preliminary sketch for what an effective whistleblower policy means. Even in broad brush terms, the Guidelines only attempt to seriously address 8 out of 20 best practice standards for a credible policy.
Click here to read GAP’s critique of the ICC’s Guidelines on Whistleblowing
11/3/2008
Lawsuit Seeks to Stop Plan to Burn Mustard Agent at Umatilla
Last Friday, GAP filed a lawsuit on behalf of several Oregon groups and local residents seeking to stop the current plan by state agencies to burn mustard agent stored in ton containers and contaminated with mercury and other hazardous wastes, which would release mercury and other toxins into the environment, at the Umatilla Chemical Depot.
Click here to read the press release
Click here to read the filing
10/28/2008
GAP TV - Whistle Where You Work
GAP is excited to tell its supporters about a new project we have launched to bring heightened attention to whistleblower rights and accountability issues. GAP’s new television program, Whistle Where You Work, is running on the Free Speech TV Channel (which airs on the DISH satellite network). In the near future, WWYW will also air on cable channels and non-commercial radio stations across the country.
Click here to read about Whistle Where You Work and to see its schedule on FSTV
10/24/2008
Special Counsel Bloch Forced Out
GAP is applauding the White House decision to remove Special Counsel Scott Bloch yesterday. GAP has been a persistent critic of Bloch during his tenure.
Click here to read GAP's press release
Click here to read GAP's detailed testimony on this issue from a July 12, 2007 oversight hearing on the office
10/22/2008
Your Calls Worked! We Need Your Help Again.
Dear GAP Supporters:
Your calls worked! Under the pressure of concerned citizens, one Senator (Kyl) conceded that he does have a hold on the Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA) legislation. Since then, a new candidate (Vitter) has emerged as a “hold” possibility. Today your urgent help is needed again.
Click here to find out what you can do to help
10/2/2008
On Eve of Bailout Vote, White House Pulling Strings to Kill Accountability Bill
In both the House and Senate, the White House has been successful in convincing a handful of Republican lawmakers to block votes on a final Whistleblower Protection Act bill.
Click here to read the full press release
9/26/2008
Last Minute Push for Whistleblower Rights
As congressional negotiations over bailout legislation continue, an extraordinary movement of organizations from across the ideological spectrum, representing millions of Americans, is demanding that Congress in its waning days pass legislation to strengthen whistleblower protections for government and corporate employees.
Click here to see the breadth of organizations supporting whistleblower rights
9/22/2008
Time to Take Action!
There is one week left to urge Congress to vote on the strongest free-speech bill in history - the Whistleblower Protection Act. We need you to contact Senator Reid and Senator McConnell and let them know that you expect them to reserve floor time to get this done, before they adjourn to seek your votes. Tell them that all employees paid by taxpayers must have best practice whistleblower rights enforced by jury trials. If there is time to bail out corrupt financial institutions, there is time to finish passing the law that will protect government workers who defend the taxpayers.
Senator Reid: (202) 224-3542 http://reid.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm
Senator McConnell: (202) 224-2541 http://mcconnell.senate.gov/contact_form.cfm
Please sign the Citizen’s Whistleblower Petition at www.WhistleblowerAction.org and make your voice heard!
Click here to view our letter of support for the Whistleblower Protection Act by 226 groups. This is the largest and most diverse group of organizations ever to express support for strong free speech rights for federal employees.
9/10/2008
GAP Report Calls for Overhaul of Corporate Whistleblower Laws
Today, GAP released a new report, Running the Gauntlet: The Campaign for Credible Corporate Whistleblower Rights. This report surveys the dangerous landscape of corporate whistleblower laws, and recommends strategies for corporate whistleblowers to best protect themselves from future retaliation.
Click here for GAP's press release
Click here for the report
9/10/2008
OpenTheGovernment's 2008 Secrecy Report Card
OpenTheGovernment.org, an important coalition partner of GAP and a great advocate of government transparency, recently released their 2008 Secrecy Report Card. This annual report identifies important trends in public access to government information.
Click here to read the report
9/9/2008
Dramatic Surge in Support for Whistleblower Rights
GAP has announced that seventy new organizations from across the United States have joined a June petition calling on Congress to enact sweeping new whistleblower rights for government employees. The groups are calling on Congress to finish the job before adjourning for the upcoming elections. Both chambers have approved legislation to revive the discredited Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA), but efforts to reconcile the different versions have stalled.
Click here to read the full press release
8/25/2008
GAP Internships Now Available
Do you know or are you a student who would be interested in helping support GAP's mission of advancing whistleblower rights and exposing wrongdoing? Check out GAP's internship page to read about several current openings!
GAP Internship Page
8/14/2008
Bush Signs Consumer Protection Bill; Expanding Whistleblower Rights
Earlier today, President Bush signed the Consumer Product Safety Commission Reform Act, enacting law that protects American consumers by, among other ways, providing whistleblower rights to nearly 20 million workers. The legislation provides protections, enforceable by jury trials, to workers connected with the manufacture, distribution, and retail sale of products ranging from toys to clothes, linens, car seats, hardware and household appliances.
The legislation responds to last fall’s “killer toys” controversy sparked by discoveries of excessive lead in dolls and other common products. The reform significantly tightens safety standards. Its enforcement cornerstone is thorough “best practices” whistleblower protection for employees who refuse to violate the law or who challenge product safety violations.
Since last October, GAP has led a coalition that swelled to 102 organizations demanding whistleblower rights in this reform.
8/12/2008
GAP Report Details Azeri Privatization-World Bank Corruption
Today, GAP filed a report with the U.S. Treasury Department that exposes the World Bank’s role in the widespread corruption surrounding privatization in Azerbaijan during the late 1990’s. The report shows that James Wolfensohn, then president of the World Bank, personally assisted a rogue financier in his efforts to gain control of the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR). While these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful, documents show that Wolfensohn silenced Bank staff members who spoke out about corrupt government officials working with Viktor Kožený, a notorious financial operator who had allegedly defrauded investors in the Czech Republic of nearly $1 billion only three years earlier.
Click here to read the report
Click here to read GAP's press release
In response to James Wolfensohn’s contention that World Bank staff members did not warn Azeri officials and others about the risks inherent in an investment with Viktor Kožený, GAP is posting the following documentation:
Letter from Kozeny to Bodmer showing Kozeny team's efforts to affect World Bank opinion
Letter from Chairman of Azerbaijan State Property Committee to Kozeny advising him of World Bank staff member warnings
Letter from Kozeny attorney Andre Wahrenberger to Kozeny attorney Frank Chopin about World Bank staff member allegations against Kozeny
In addition, GAP points out that Johannes Linn, the Vice President of the World Bank cited by Wolfensohn’s spokesman as responsible for verifying Bank staff members’ comments about Kožený, told GAP, when interviewed, that he had “never heard” of Viktor Kožený.
8/1/2008
GAP Releases Report on Corrupt World Bank Project involving Armenian Water Supply
Over the course of the past year, GAP has investigated allegations of corruption in the World Bank-funded Municipal Development Project (MDP) in Yerevan, Armenia. A whistleblower with access to internal documents about the MDP produced evidence showing that the General Director of the Yerevan Water and Sewerage Company (YWSC) in the capital and the international representative of the Italian company contracted to manage and modernize the YWSC were the same person during the crucial period between 2000 and 2002. As a result of this conflict of interest, project objectives were changed without authorization, substandard materials were used, performance standards were lowered, and works to be completed were never undertaken, among other things.
Click here to read more about this scandal, and the full report
7/30/2008
Congress Guarantees Widespread Whistleblower Rights in CPSC Reform
GAP applauds Senate and House leaders for reaching conference committee agreement on major consumer product safety legislation just approved by the House this evening, in a 424-1 vote. The legislation provides whistleblower rights, enforceable by jury trials, to an estimated twenty million private sector workers connected with the manufacture, distribution, and retail sale of products ranging from toys to clothes, linens, car seats, hardware and household appliances.
Click here to read GAP's press release
7/18/2008
Emergency Action Alert! Help Protect America's Families!
GAP is sending out a call to all people and organizations concerned with protecting American families from unsafe products! We need your help!
Click here to find out how you can make a difference!
7/17/2008
EPA Quietly Releases Climate Change Health Effects Report
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a major study by the US Climate Change Science Program synthesizing current scientific knowledge of climate change-induced threats to human health. This information should be critical to the EPA’s previous “endangerment finding” for carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. However, the EPA Office of Air and Radiation, the branch assigned rulemaking responsibility, evidently did not rely on and did not cite the CCSP report.
Click here to read GAP's press release!
7/9/2008
FISA Vote Today
GAP is opposed to the FISA bill that grants retroactive immunity to the telecommunications companies that cooperated with the Bush administration to illegally spy on Americans. The bill comes before a vote today in the Senate, you still have time to contact your Senator and urge them to vote for any of the amendments that deny or qualify telecom immunity. See GAP's recent Action Alert for how to do this.
Click here to read GAP's Action Alert!
Click here to read telecom whistleblower (and GAP client) Babak Pasdar's op-ed about the legislation (Co-authored by AT&T whistleblower Mark Klein)
7/3/2008
GAP Commends UN Ethics Director and Secretary-General for Defending UNDP Whistleblower
GAP applauds United Nations Ethics Office Director Robert Benson and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for defending a whistleblower who was denied due process by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Click here for GAP's press release
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