Watch Live Today: House Hearing on Whistleblower Treatment
GAP Legal Director Tom Devine, along with GAP clients Robert MacLean (Air Marshal whistleblower) and Dr. Robert Van Boven (Veterans Affairs whistleblower), will be speaking today at a House subcommittee hearing about the administration’s treatment of whistleblowers since passage of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act. Watch a live webcast of the hearing at 2:00pm ET.
PBS: How the USDA’s New ‘Chicken Rule’ Could Change What You Eat and How It’s Inspected
This story highlights the dangers of USDA’s new poultry inspection rule, which was recently finalized against the wishes of the agency’s own inspectors. The rule hands government oversight of food safety to the plants themselves. Director of GAP’s Food Integrity Campaign Amanda Hitt is quoted in the video piece supplementing the print article.
Key Quote (Hitt): “What’s been consistent is a culture where the meat inspectors themselves aren’t heard and they’re not listened to and they’re frequently disregarded, and that comes at the peril of the consumer.”
The Sacramento City Auditor says his office received more than 40 whistleblower complaints in the first three months of this year. Tips that were substantiated include the failure of city paramedics to obtain signatures needed to secure reimbursement as well as animal care center employees changing fees without City Council approval. The auditor says he needs more staff to keep up with all the complaints.
Wall Street Journal: Survey – People Don’t Want to Talk Online About the NSA
A former Atlanta city employee was fired after raising concerns about a scheme to make fake GEDs and other false documents to help people get promotions, jobs and other benefits within the public works department.