HuffPost Live: Top Stories For Monday, August 18
Yesterday, GAP National Security & Human Rights Director Jesselyn Radack appeared on HuffPost Live discussing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s announcement about leaving the Ecuadorian embassy in London (in part due to his health problems).
Key Quote (Radack): We have to look at the underlying reason that he is in the Ecuadorian Embassy. He was granted political asylum because he had a valid fear of persecution and the basis for that are the so-called allegations by different countries.
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To the extent he might be able to leave, it would be under some sort of humanitarian doctrine that would allow medical aid for someone who is in this sort of netherworld – which he is right now – I mean, he’s been granted asylum, he’s an asylee, he’s a refugee, and under universal principals, internaitonal principles of human rights, he should be allowed to seek and receive medical assistance without intervention, without using that as a pretext to arrest him and extradite him either to the United States or to Sweden.
News & Observer (NC): Whistleblower Sues Medical Examiner’s Office Over Retaliation
A former manger in the North Carolina medial examiner’s office has filed a lawsuit under the state’s Whistleblower Act alleging that he was forced to retire after reporting that a fellow employee failed to turn over evidence in a homicide case.
Government Executive: Meet the Man Leading the Snowden Damage Investigation
This piece spotlights National Counterintelligence Executive Bill Evanina, who is responsible for “coordinating multi-agency efforts to mitigate the risk of foreign infiltration, assess damage from intelligence leaks and tighten the security clearance process” in the wake of the disclosures by NSA whistleblower and GAP client Edward Snowden. Evanina’s primary project, as the nation’s counterintelligence chief, is conducting a government-wide assessment of the impact of the revelations by Snowden. Mentions GAP’s Radack.
Key Quote: As of this summer, this administration has brought eight prosecutions of agency leaks under the 1917 Espionage Act—more than all other administrations combined, according to Jesselyn Radack, an attorney who works national security and human rights issues for the nonprofit Government Accountability Project. Her group and others warn that crackdowns on leakers and agency overreliance on classification inhibit the free pursuit of journalism in a democratic society.
Clovis News Journal (NM): County Employee Threatens Whistleblower Lawsuit
After reporting illegal activities within a New Mexico country clerk office, a former employee is threatening a whistleblower lawsuit after being fired, alleging that the clerk was making modifications to marriage licenses and certificates.
TribLive News (PA): Washington County Judge, Other Officials Named in Whistleblower Lawsuit
A former juvenile probation officer filed a whistleblower lawsuit under Pennsylvania state law alleging that he was fired after disclosing that his boss was sending troubled children to a treatment center where the supervisor’s significant other worked.
Michael Riley is a Communications Intern for the Government Accountability Project, the nation’s leading whistleblower protection and advocacy organization.