The Government Accountability Project today offered unqualified praise for two appointments that President Obama made to lead the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board. The Board is the administrative law forum that adjudicates employment appeals for federal employees, including Whistleblower Protection Act cases. The President selected as chair Susan Grundmann, general counsel for the National Federation of Federal Employees,and as vice chair Anne Wagner, whose experience includes 20 years as counsel for the American Federation of Government Employees. More recently, Wagner was a member and later general counsel for the Personnel Appeals Board at the Government Accountability Office, which performs much the same duties at GAO as the MSPB does for other federal employees.

GAP legal director Tom Devine commented, “President Obama has put his appointments where his mouth is to run merit system agencies. Unlike Bush administration appointees who compiled a 1-44 track record against whistleblowers, these leaders are seasoned veterans with a proven track record of commitment to the merit system throughout their careers. No law is better than those enforcing it, and these appointments are a weathervane that the Obama Administration is serious about its good government rhetoric.”

Government Accountability Project

The Government Accountability Project is the nation’s leading whistleblower protection organization. Through litigating whistleblower cases, publicizing concerns and developing legal reforms, GAP’s mission is to protect the public interest by promoting government and corporate accountability. Founded in 1977, GAP is a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C.