A new group has formed to push Congress to crack down on
government retaliation against those who allege national
security blunders, to get it to hold hearings into
government action against whistleblowers, as well as
require “individual accountability,” for retaliation,
according to the group’s announcement.
The National Security Whistleblowers Coalition formed
around the case of Sibel Edmonds, the former Federal
Bureau of Investigation translator who made allegations
of travel voucher fraud and time and attendance abuse,
and alleged that the bureau had hired unqualified
personnel and used them to translate military interviews.
A Department of Justice inspector general report found the
claims “were not taken seriously enough,” and were the
“most significant factor,” in her termination.
The suit she filed in federal court was dismissed after
Attorney General John Ashcroft invoked the “states
secrets privilege,” retroactively classifying court
briefs to Congress. Edmonds and the American Civil
Liberties Union are pushing for the full release of the
IG report.
The coalition consists of current and former employees
from the FBI, National Security Agency, Departments of
Defense, Justice, Energy, the Central Intelligence
Agency and others.
“Today, the federal government’s policies support and
reinforce wrongdoers who would seek to silence
whistleblowers by demoting them, taking away their
security clearances, or firing them,” said the
announcement.
