GAP and other leading members of the Make It Safe Coalition are applauding a recent policy by the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General (OIG) to post investigative summaries publically onto its website, an action that the coalition has advocated for over the years.

On Friday, GAP, Project On Government Oversight, Public Citizen and Union of Concerned Scientists sent a letter thanking Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz, who also chairs the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, for setting this significant precedent for other OIGs –

In our experience, the primary motivation for whistleblowers to speak out is the hope that their disclosures will make a difference. Too often due to lack of communication by the OIG, federal employees feel that their whistleblowing may be irrelevant, even if they have had an impact. Worse, whistleblowers often feel that their disclosures have been ignored, even if the OIG has conducted an investigation and review.

Your leadership to publicly post investigative summaries by and large addresses these frustrations. It allows whistleblowers to know both how their disclosures were handled and what was accomplished through their courage to report government illegality, waste, fraud, abuse or public health or safety threats.

The groups also called on Mr. Horowitz to go a step further, and use his office’s discretionary authority to post full versions of reports whenever possible, making redactions only if they are legitimate and legally required.

The full letter can be viewed here