The 2011 Washington Whistleblower Assembly took place in September on Capitol Hill. By all measures, the event was a rousing success.
This year's theme was "Whistleblowers Protecting the Public ... But Who's Protecting the Whistleblower?" The primary focus of the gathering was to build support for final passage of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act (WPEA), introduced in the 112th Congress by Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI) and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME). Participants encouraged Congress to stop wasting America's most effective resource against government misspending and abuse of power, through passage of the WPEA.
GAP's Legal Director Tom Devine presents Senator Akaka with the GAP Public Servant Award for his commitment to whistleblower rights.
There were a multitude of events and panels lined up for both days. The Assembly offered a full day of instructional workshops, speeches and appearances by high-profile whistleblowers, plenary sessions, and a full "lobbying day" where participants met with legislators and staff in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.
Highlights of the conference included (click for video footage):
- Keynote address by NSA whistleblower Tom Drake
- Comments from Congressional Aides
- Panel Discussion: Being Right on Whistleblowing - A Conservative Analysis
- Panel Discussion: National Security Whistleblowers & Exposing Severe Wrongdoing In a Culture of Secrecy
- Plenary Session: Reflections from Obama Administration Whistleblower Appointments
- Is the Government Making the Most out of Whistleblower Statutes?
Click here to read an inspirational statement from Frank Serpico, NYPD whistleblower.
Click here to read a post-WWA interview by Pete Sepp, Vice President of the National Taxpayers Union.
The Washington Whistleblower Assembly was spearheaded by GAP, and co-sponsored by the American Federation of Government Employees, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the International Association of Whistleblowers, the Project On Government Oversight, the Union of Concerned Scientists, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Voices for Corporate Responsibility, and International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
