Vote for Government Accountability Project as one of CREDO Mobile’s November Grant Recipients!
This is the moment of truth for whistleblower—truthtellers who risk their careers and even their lives to challenge fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption. At Government Accountability Project, we have seen first-hand how employees of conscience make a difference and protect the public from wrongdoing, which is why we are committed to protecting them. Our many initiatives would not be able to work if it wasn’t for generous donations from those who care about transparency and accountability.
This month, we are proud to have been chosen as one of three CREDO Mobile November grant recipients. This means that CREDO Mobile is holding an online vote to divide their funds among three amazing progressive nonprofits, including Government Accountability Project. You don’t have to be a member of CREDO Mobile or give any money to cast your vote.
As the nation’s leading public interest whistleblower protection and advocacy organization, we serve those who come forward on important issue areas including government, climate change, national security, and public health. We even do pro bono work internationally to advocate for whistleblower protections around the globe. Over the past decade, we have increased the number of whistleblower intakes we have received by threefold, which demonstrates the impact of our organization.
Government Accountability Project is also the home of the Democracy Protection Initiative, our response to the events of January 6th and after, in the effort of preserving our democracy. Under the previous administration, our nation witnessed how a president could abuse the powers of the Office to protect and enrich themselves, target their political opponents, and solicit foreign interference to help their campaign—all at great cost to our democracy. As another election season has come and gone, we continue to fight to protect our country’s democracy by representing whistleblowers who are exposing and preventing misconduct and amplifying truth, but also through our legislative efforts.
Our legislative initiatives make a real difference for employees of conscience by providing additional rights in the challenging whistleblower landscape. This September, we helped get the Whistleblower Protections Improvement Act (WPIA) passed through the House of Representatives, which moved it to the Senate for action. Since then, we have been working tirelessly to reach out to senators on both sides of the aisle to highlight how important it is that they do not abandon those who defend their constituents.
The WPIA is a landmark piece of legislation that would establish parity for federal government whistleblowers with 16 laws passed since the millennium for private sector employees in different industries. Most significantly, it would give them access to jury trials in federal court if they do not receive a timely administrative ruling. Federal employees are the only significant sector of the labor force where whistleblowers do not have that right, although they make the nation’s most significant disclosures. The WPIA would lay the groundwork for protecting federal employees even before they become our clients.
Your vote will help us represent whistleblowers at a fraction of the cost of a private law firm
Our clients span many different fields but are all united by one thing: their drive to do the right thing. Government Accountability Project works hard to represent these brave truthtellers whenever we can. In February of this year, Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Deputy Counsel, Rachel Wallace, came forward about then-Director Eric Lander’s unethical workplace conduct. This caused Lander to ultimately resign and created real change as OSTP rebuilds its credibility and reputation as a crucial office in today’s day and age.
In April, career federal civil servant, Kaitlin Hess, joined many other whistleblowers to expose the horrific conditions at Fort Bliss Emergency Intake Sites (EIS) as well as gross mismanagement, chaos and negligent conditions harmful to the health and safety of children being held there by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). By September, HHS’ Office of Inspector General released its long-awaited report into the horrific conditions for unaccompanied children at the EIS at Fort Bliss, spurred in substantial part by Hess and the many other whistleblower complaints from several federal employees who are represented by Government Accountability Project.
Finally, Dawn Wooten was a nurse at the Irwin County Detention Center (ICDC), but in 2020 she came forward publicly to expose critical failures to protect immigrants in detention from COVID-19, as well as hysterectomies and other gynecological procedures being performed on detained immigrant women without their informed consent. The impact of Ms. Wooten’s disclosures was profound: 57 victims of medical mistreatment at ICDC came forward and are currently seeking justice through a class-action lawsuit, and by the one-year anniversary of her public disclosure the Department of Homeland Security severed its contract with ICDC. Exactly two years after her public disclosure, Wooten was awarded the Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award for her bravery. The award “spotlights individuals who have made significant contributions to protecting and enhancing First Amendment rights for all Americans.”
While our clients have made profound differences in their fields, blowing the whistle is a dangerous decision to make with retaliation being all too common. Rachel Wallace still has not been reinstated at her original post as General Counsel despite her disclosures being confirmed. And though Dawn Wooten brought these issues to light, she continues to suffer retaliation for her disclosures, including repeated and explicit blacklisting from dozens of open nursing positions due to local awareness and resentment of her whistleblowing.
This is why our work matters. Our society relies on brave individuals like our clients to hold the powerful accountable, and they rely on us to protect them and to make long-lasting change within our government to create a democracy of transparency and justice.
This is why we need you. By simply voting for Government Accountability Project in the month of November, you will help us to continue our crucial work getting the WPIA passed through the Senate, protecting whistleblowers who need our help, and spreading awareness of the importance of truthtellers.