FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 6, 2022
Government Accountability Project Wins Civic Champions of 2021 Award
WASHINGTON—As we enter the new year, Government Accountability Project is proud to reflect on its work and is honored to receive the Civic Champions of 2021 Award from political activist, attorney, and author Ralph Nader. Thanks to the work of leaders such as Nader, whistleblowing has begun losing the negative stigma once associated with brave truth tellers. In particular, Nader is known for popularizing the term “whistleblower,” which helped change the negative public image surrounding those who disclosed information to protect the public and ensure government accountability. We are humbled to work towards a common goal alongside him in the fight to protect whistleblowers.
Government Accountability Project is especially proud of the award’s recognition of both our Executive Director/CEO Louis Clark and Legal Director Tom Devine for their contributions as leaders in the whistleblowing sphere. Their direction has enabled Government Accountability Project to achieve many successes in 2021 for whistleblowers in the agricultural, governmental, immigration, and tech sectors. In 2022, we hope to see even more change as we continue our work and urge for legislative reform for whistleblower protection laws.
Government Accountability Project Executive Director and CEO Louis Clark commented:
“It was Ralph Nader’s leadership, conference, and resulting book that put whistleblowing on the broad public interest agenda. Of course, the early whistleblowers such as Dan Ellsberg and Ernie Fitzgerald paved the way as well with their courageous actions and immense fortitude. The early whistleblowers set the stage for what now has become an avalanche of whistleblowing on the local, state, national, and international levels. Hopefully, these truth tellers will not drown in the waves they have helped to create, but that means that they must receive protection and their concerns must be effectively addressed. The latest polls indicate that 86% of the American public wants whistleblowers protected. This Marist poll indicates that the early pioneers on behalf of whistleblowers such as Ralph Nader have succeeded in changing the culture. Public interest allies who advocate for justice, truth, transparency, and accountability deserve credit as well for helping to turn the information and evidence from whistleblowers into reform.”
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Contact: Andrew Harman, Government Accountability Project Communications Director
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 202.926.3304
Government Accountability Project is the nation’s leading whistleblower protection organization. Through litigating whistleblower cases, publicizing concerns and developing legal reforms, Government Accountability Project’s mission is to protect the public interest by promoting government and corporate accountability. Founded in 1977, Government Accountability Project is a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C.