Archives
Below, please find a comprehensive episode list of Whistle Where You Work. To view any of these, simply click on the title, and then you will be redirected to that episode’s individual page.
Episode 24 - School Lunch Safety, Blowing the Whistle on a Presidential Commission
This episode focuses on the state of American school lunches safety, with an emphasis on current problems with school food integrity and the system as a whole. Joining us for a discussion are Peter Eisler, a co-author of a USA Today investigative series about school lunch safety, and Sarah Klein, Food Safety Counsel for the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The discussion hits on several points - the failure of government/companies to alert schools about tainted product, the labyrinthine network of food suppliers, the lax standards for schools when compared to fast food, and the inadequate inspection rate of cafeterias.
Also, in this episode, in 1969 the Carter administration created the President’s Commission on Executive Exchange, with the purpose of fostering short-term executive exchanges – bringing private sector executives to work in the federal government while sending federal executives to work for corporations. In 1991, George H. W. Bush shuttered the agency in the wake of whistleblowing by Gordon Hamel, our guest.
Episode 23 - A Conversation with Dr. David Kessler
Government Accountability Project Executive Director, Mark Cohen interviews former FDA Commissioner and New York Times best selling author, Dr. David Kessler, on a broad array of topics ranging from food integrity and safety to food wholesomeness and the public health implications of overeating.
This interview was filmed as part of GAP’s Empowering Employees to Protect Food Integrity conference in November 2009. The conference acknowledged the role of employees as a first line of defense against food adulteration. Expert panelists discussed food integrity issues as well as new and pending laws, including whistleblower protections, which empower employees in the food industry to protect the integrity of our food supply.
Episode 22 - International Finance Whistleblowers; A Whistleblower Survivor
The worldwide recession has provided a public call for greater transparency and accountability in financial markets. But the complexity and detail of these markets and companies make identifying wrongdoing difficult - to the point that often only insiders can identify when malfeasance occurs. What issues face international (and national) finance whistleblowers? Why is the only person being sent to jail in the recent UBS scandal (which involved illegal off-shore tax havens) the whistleblower, Bradley Birkenfeld, despite the fact that his disclosures allowed the government to recoup almost $800 million of fines, penalties and back-taxes? We talk with representatives from the Tax Justice Network and the Government Accountability Project.
Then, Bille Garde is a whistleblower survivor who’s successfully turned lemons into lemonade. After disclosing improper behavior at a U.S. Census office, she faced retaliation not only professionally, but also personally. After gaining a measure of justice for herself, she became an attorney and has made a career of helping others with the courage to stand up to wrongdoing.
Episode 21 - American Waterways; Whistleblowing at a University
The safety and security of America’s water supply has been increasingly threatened in recent years: global warming, energy practices and an aging infrastructure are hurting this precious (and limited) resource that is vital to our lifestyle. What are the issues facing the nation’s water, and what can we do about it? We chat with representatives from the conservation organization American Rivers, and the public interest group Food & Water Watch.
Then a conversation with Colin Browne, formerly of the University of the District of Columbia. Brown discovered that his department was greatly spinning and trumping up success rates of programs aimed to help at-risk students. Brown was fired for his continued determination to tell the truth about how taxpayer dollars were spent.
Episode 20 - Andrew Kreig; Adam Kolton; Tom Devine
First, we chat with attorney and investigative reporter Andrew Kreig about a whistleblower case making headlines in Alabama involving the Department of Justice and that state’s governor.
Then, we sit down with Adam Kolton of the National Wildlife Federation to discuss the story of a public relations firm with ties to the energy industry. The firm falsely wrote letters from groups (NAACP) to key Senatorial staff asking for the impending climate legislation to be shelved. The groups had no idea they were doing so, and actually supported the legislation in different cases.
Finally, GAP Legal Director Tom Devine provides us with an update on the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act, and what viewers can do to support the cause. This episode was filmed in late September.
Episode 19 - Conversations With FBI Whistleblower Coleen Rowley; FAA Whistleblower Peter Nesbitt
First, a long conversation with FBI whistleblower Coleen Rowley, who blew the whistle on the FBI’s lack of adequate process and organization prior to 9/11. She was selected as one of Time Magazine’s Co-Persons of the Year in 2002. Her story is fascinating, and brings up numerous issues involving national security and whistleblower rights.
Then, a conversation with former Air Traffic Controller Peter Nesbitt, who exposed unsafe landing patterns (planes flying too close together) becoming too common at an airport. His supervisors retaliated against him for his brave his disclosure to the FAA.
This episode was filmed in September 2009.
Episode 18 – Obama’s Transparency; Troop Safety
The Obama administration promised a new era in government transparency. After the first six months, have they lived up to their promises? How does it compare to the Bush administration, but more importantly, what should the public have expected? We look at previous administrations, the recent FOIA directive, TARP and bailout transparency, the use of the state secrets privilege, and other indications from the past 180 days that show how the Obama administration is treating this issue. This panel is with Patrice McDermott, Director of Open the Government.org, and Meredith Fuchs, General Counsel for the National Security Archive.
Then, we chat with Franz Gayl, a veteran of the Marine Corps who, as a civilian official at the Pentagon, chose to expose the bureaucratic holdup of putting MRAP vehicles – which offer significantly greater protection to American troops than Humvees – in the field. Gayl was retaliated against for his actions.
This episode was filmed in early August 2009.
Episode 17 - World Bank Racism; FAA Ineptitude
In June, the Government Accountability Project released a report detailing widespread racial discrimination at the World Bank. This was followed, literally days later, by reports that racial slurs were posted inside the Bank walls, evidently by a staffer. What’s going on here? WWYW details why the Bank’s internal justice system isn’t equipped to properly handle racial discrimination cases, and how this system of allowing racism undermines the mission of the organization. Joining us are Bea Edwards of GAP and Wamara Mwine, reporter for the National Examiner.
Then, we sit down with former FAA Manager Gabe Bruno, who alleged that the FAA lacks a national security screening mechanism for certain mechanics that received fraudulent certificates from a Designated Mechanic Examiner (DME), but have refused to, or failed to fully complete, a recertification program. This failure creates a security vulnerability that leaves the aviation industry open to potential terrorist activity. For his disclosure, Bruno was harassed and forced into early retirement.
These segments were filmed in late July 2009, and March 2009, respectively.
Episode 16 – White House Editing of Global Warming Reports; The FAA’s Assault on Whistleblowers
First, we chat with Rick Piltz, former senior associate at the federal Climate Change Science Program. During the first term of the Bush administration, Piltz discovered that a White House environmental office was editing federal climate change data in report drafts, in an effort to tone down the human impact on global warming. In 2005, after resigning his position, his story made front page news across the country.
In our second segment, we talk with former Federal Air Marshal Robert MacLean, who was fired after blowing the whistle in the name of national security and airline safety. Three days after a serious hijacking plot was discovered by American intelligence in 2003, the Transportation Security Administration proceeded to remove Air Marshals from nonstop, long-distance flights – often the ones most vulnerable to terrorist activities. This was done due to budgetary measures. MacLean disclosed this, Congressional outrage stopped the plan in its tracks, and the Air Marshals remained in place. MacLean was fired three years later for revealing such information – which was retroactively labeled “Sensitive Security Information” – a pseudo classification with no real merit.
This episode was filmed in March 2009.
Episode 15 - Accountability at the D.C. Fire Department
Cpt. Vanessa Coleman is a whistleblower who has been steadily retaliated against since being singled out and made a scapegoat for the Mt. Pleasant apartment fire last year that displaced 200 people. However, as public audio recordings from the fire department show, Coleman was clearly not at fault in any way for the fire or its spreading. Teresa Cusick was General Counsel for the Department, and was transferred to a non-legal position after speaking out about unfair practices intended to cover up a botched investigation. Gerald Pennington was an arson investigator who exposed that the Eastern Market fire investigation was botched by inexperienced investigators, which was then covered up by the top officials at the department.
In our first segment, we interview Coleman, Cusick and Pennington. Each details the struggles they have faced for exposing the information and the retaliation they have faced within a department that is more focused on having orders obeyed than on whether the orders are legal in the first place.
Then, in our panel discussion, we look at the ordering of psychological evaluation as a means of retaliation against whistleblowers. Joining us are Dr. Donald Soeken, a psychologist who exposed the use of psychological evaluations as retaliation towards whistleblowers who have nothing wrong with them except for blowing the whistle, and Richard Condit, Government Accountability Project Senior Counsel, who speaks directly to this form of retaliation by the Department of D.C. Fire & Emergency Medical Services.
This episode was filmed in June 2009.
Episode 14 - A Conversation with Jeffrey Wigand, Tobacco Whistleblower
In a special WWYW episode, we sit down for a lengthy conversation with Dr. Jeffrey Wigand, noted tobacco whistleblower and subject of the movie The Insider. In 1995, Dr. Wigand achieved national prominence when he became the tobacco industry’s highest ranking former executive to address public health and smoking issues.
The episode was filmed in March 2009 during the National Whistleblowers Assembly.
In March, President Obama signed a $410 billion omnibus spending bill, but in doing so, he attached a signing statement asserting that certain provisions of the legislation raised constitutional concerns that Congress was stepping on Executive powers. Specifically, the president stated he was not waiving his authority to control communications by federal employees to Congress involving information that is properly privileged or confidential. What are the ramifications of this statement for federal employee whistleblowers who wish to take concerns to Congress? Our guests include Sharon Bradford Franklin of the Constitution Project, and Tom Devine of the Government Accountability Project.
Then, we sit down with Lisa Hayes of the Alliance for Justice, who is fighting for legislation that would allow patients injured by medical devices to sue the manufactures of such faulty products. If patients harmed by prescription drugs have legal recourse against manufacturers, why shouldn’t medical device producers be held accountable too?
This episode was filmed in late April 2009.
Episode 12 - The Future of American Energy; Blowing the Whistle on “Club Fed”
President Obama has laid out three priorities for his stimulus plans - health care, education, and energy. His focus on alternative energy as a way of combating climate change, ending our reliance on oil, and creating a tremendous amount of renewable energy jobs represents a clear break from the past eight years. But how sharp a break is it really? And what role does the Obama administration see nuclear power and “clean coal” playing in our energy mix? Our guests include Joe Romm of ClimateProgress.org and the Center for American Progress, and Robert Alvarez of the Institute for Policy Studies.
Then, we sit down with Randy Taylor, who gained prominence as a whistleblower in 1991, when his disclosure sparked the closing of a Bermuda Naval Air Station - a “Club Fed” for naval brass and a few prominent politicians. This segment was filmed during the annual National Whistleblower Assembly, held in Washington D.C. in March 2009.
This episode was filmed in early March 2009.
Episode 11 - The State of Food Safety; Problems with Hospital ‘Peer Reviews’
First, we lead off with a panel discussion on the state of the food safety system in America. Our experts focus on: the growing-in-popularity idea of creating a unified food safety agency, the current problems of food safety oversight that stem from having multiple agencies in charge, and different pieces of proposed legislation that address this issue. Our guests include Steve Clapp of Food Chemical News, and Tony Corbo of Food & Water Watch.
Then, we sit down with the International Association of Whistleblowers’ James Murtagh to discuss the problems with ‘peer review’ systems at hospitals. This segment was filmed during the annual National Whistleblower Assembly, held in Washington D.C. in March 2009.
This episode was filmed in early March 2009.
Episode 10 - Consumer Product Safety; Whistleblowing at the EPA
In our first segment, we discuss the recently passed Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, signed into law last August. While this bill was prompted by the Chinese “killer toys” scandal, the legislation does much, much more, such as implement novel whistleblower protection provisions. Joining us for this panel are David Arkush, director of Public Citizen’s Congress Watch program, and Ed Mierzwinski, federal consumer protection director of the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups (U.S. PIRG).
Then in our interview segment, we chat with EPA union representative Dr. William Hirzy about the EPA’s response to fluoride concerns, and what it tells us about the treatment of science and scientists at the EPA during the Bush years.
This episode was filmed on February 6, 2009.
Episode 9 - Fixing the Department of Justice; Whistleblowing at the FDA
First, we look at Fixing the Department of Justice – What actions can the Obama administration take to correct Bush policies that have damaged the effectiveness of the department? We touch a bit on the current burrowing issue of political hires, the politicization of the Department, and the DoJ Office of Legal Counsel – the sub-department charged with determining whether executive actions are constitutional. Guests include Melanie Sloan, Executive Director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, and Jesselyn Radack, Homeland Security Director of GAP.
Then, a conversation with former FDA Medical Officer David Ross, who gives us an inside view of the FDA’s failure to protect the American public by approving the unsafe antibiotic Ketek – and the agency’s failure to take action when deaths were reported from its usage.
This episode was filmed on February 6, 2009.
Episode 8 - Problems at the World Bank; Chrysler’s Whistleblower
First, our panel discussion looks at the World Bank. What has the organization been up to in the post-Paul Wolfowitz era? Our guests walk us through a scandal involving the Bank, HIV and India; whether the Bank should assist in the global financial crisis; and looking at the current scandal involving computer breaches and Bank officials’ cozy relationships with corrupt vendors. Guests include Bea Edwards, International Reform Director of the Government Accountability Project, and Neil Watkins, National Coordinator of Jubilee USA.
Then, we sit down with Elaine Mittleman. In the 1970s, Mittleman parlayed an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University into a prestigious financial analyst position at Ford Motors in Detroit. Then, upon earning a law degree from the University of Michigan, this single mom — with years of auto industry expertise — was quickly recruited to the US Treasury Department in Washington in 1980 to work on the $1.2 billion Chrysler bailout – but she was apparently a bit too conscientious in performing her job. She’ll talk about her experience, and give her views on the current auto bailout.
This episode was filmed on January 8, 2009.
Episode 7 - National Security Whistleblowers; Exposing FAA Wrongdoing
First, our panel discussion looks at National Security Whistleblowers. What happens when workers uncover corruption, but releasing the proof would be a federal offense? What happens when those charged with determining whether information is classified decide that everything should be, for non-security related reasons? What are the issues facing truth-tellers who deal with classified information? We discuss the over-classification of materials, contractor responsibility databases, and the role of Inspectors General. Guests for this segment include Danielle Brian, Executive Director of the Project on Government Oversight, and Meredith Fuchs, General Counsel to the National Security Archive.
Then, we sit down with Bogdan Dzakovic, former leader of the FAA Red Team. Prior to 9/11, this elite counter-terrorism unit tested aviation security in airports around the world. Dzakovic was the unit’s leader from 1995 until September 11, 2001. For several years prior to the 9/11 attacks, Dzakovic tried to improve aviation security in the face of the ever-increasing terrorist threat. When the gravity of his reports fell upon deaf ears, he notified members in both houses of Congress. In October 2001, he filed a Whistleblower Protection Act disclosure complaint against the FAA. Once the complaint was received, he was immediately removed from his Red Team leadership position. He now works for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). His current assignments include tasks such as hole-punching, updating agency phonebooks, and “thumb-twiddling.”
This episode was filmed on November 14, 2008.
Episode 6 - Chemical Weapons Depots; “Plan B” Whistleblower Susan Wood
First, our panel discussion looks at issues surrounding America’s Chemical Weapons Depots. While the country is obligated to destroy most stockpiles (by international treaty), environmentalists and surrounding communities yearn for a more open process that describes the actual risks of different technological approaches and the selection of technologies that will better protect public health and the environment. This panel looks at issues surrounding the state of chemical weapons plants on a national and international scale, specifically analyzing what’s going on at the Umatilla plant in Oregon, which is currently planning a controversial “incineration” approach to destroying mercury-laden mustard agent. Guests for this segment include Richard Condit, Senior Counsel for the Government Accountability Project, and Dr. Paul Walker, Security & Sustainability Director with Global Green.
Then, an interview with Dr. Susan Wood. In 2005, after five years at her position at the FDA as Assistant Commissioner for Women’s Health, she realized that politics was playing a heavy role in what should have been a public health decision. Once it became clear to her that the controversial “Plan-B” pill was being wrongly delayed for approval due to political reasons, she resigned her position on the principle that the FDA should exclusively exist to serve public health.
This episode was filmed on November 14, 2008.
Episode 5 - Food Irradiation; Taking On Injustice at the FBI
First, our panel discussion looks at America’s trend toward (and ramifications of) Food Irradiation. The FDA gave the green light to food producers to zap spinach and lettuce in 2008, and other companies want to mass-irradiate beef products as well. Food activists aren’t sure about the safety of the process and they want to require manufacturers to label irradiated foods. Guests for this segment include Caroline Smith DeWaal, Food Safety Director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, and Steven Hedges, Chicago Tribune reporter.
Then, a fascinating interview with Mike German. As an FBI undercover agent during the 1990’s, he disrupted terrorist cells and was critical to convicting terrorists. In 2002, he joined a counter-terrorism investigation in the FBI’s Tampa Division, which set in motion a chain of chilling events that led to his blowing the whistle on illegal wiretaps and, ultimately, to his resignation from the FBI after 16 years of service in 2004. Today, German is the national security counsel for the ACLU in Washington, DC.
This episode was filmed on September 23, 2008.
Episode 4 - The Assault on Scientific Integrity; Supreme Court “Preemption” Cases
First, our panel segment looks at the Assault on Scientific Integrity by the Bush administration over the past seven years. Many federal scientists charge that the Bush White House suppressed science, or created its own, in order to serve ideological and theological ends. When it comes to science, critics say, the Bush administration has, in Chairman Mao’s term, put “politics in command.” Where has the scientific community truly lost ground, and in which pressing areas? What are some examples? Have scientists permanently lost opportunities? Guests for this segment include Francesca Grifo, Director of the Scientific Integrity Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, and Rick Piltz, Director of Climate Science Watch.
Next we sit down with the Alliance for Justice’s Simon Heller to discuss a Supreme Court case that was decided in early 2009. In September 2008, the court heard oral arguments over whether a consumer injured by a drug approved by the FDA is barred from suing the drug’s manufacturer. In legal jargon, the issue is called “preemption”. The notion is this: the federal government, through the FDA, has the exclusive authority to approve new medical devices and drugs and declare them safe. Once a product is approved by the FDA, a state personal injury suit for failing to adequately warn of dangers would be barred – preempted. Not surprisingly, drug-makers and the FDA both favor preemption, while trial lawyers and state governments oppose it. But there is a profound issue of justice at stake here, argues Heller, the legal director of AIJ, which strongly opposes preemption of personal injury lawsuits for drug injuries. (Editor’s Note: The Supreme Court found against preemption involving prescription drugs in March 2009. But it remains the relevant finding regarding medical devices, as decided by the court in early 2008)
This episode was filmed on September 23, 2008.
Episode 3 - Standing Up against Killer Canine Drugs; The State of Whistleblower Rights (as of 10/08)
First, we interview Dr. Victoria Hampshire, an FDA veterinarian who gathered national attention after going public about her ordeal in late 2005. Dr. Hampshire was investigated by a private detective hired by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals after she negatively reviewed one of Wyeth’s animal care products. Wyeth then held a secret meeting with then-FDA Acting Commissioner Lester Crawford, and the FDA subsequently removed her from that product’s review and launched a criminal investigation of Dr. Hampshire. She was completely cleared by that investigation.
Then, our panel discussion looks at the state of Whistleblower Rights and Pending Legislation (as of October 2008). Numerous whistleblower protections for all kinds of workers have been written into law six months prior. But federal employee protections still fall far short of where they need to be. Is there hope on the horizon, or even right now in Congress? We’ll discuss pending legislation, the overall importance of government accountability, and why it is vital for the country to institute thorough transparency measures. We’re joined by Gary Bass, Executive Director of OMB Watch, and Tom Devine, Legal Director of the Government Accountability Project.
This episode was filmed on August 22, 2008.
Episode 2 - Trends in Investigative Reporting; Arlington National Cemetery’s Whistleblower
First, we interview Gina Gray, who took over as the public affairs director at Arlington National Cemetery in April 2008, when she discovered that cemetery officials were attempting to impose new limits on media coverage of funerals of the Iraq war dead – even after the fallen warriors’ families granted permission for the coverage. She said that the new restrictions were wrong, that Army regulations didn’t call for such limitations, and advocated restoring full coverage. Six weeks after the media reported her efforts, she was demoted. A few weeks after this, she was fired.
Then, our panel discussion looks at Trends in Investigative Reporting. In the Age of Infotainment, news organizations have notoriously shifted resources from serious, investigative journalism to soft, lifestyle, “news you can use” reporting. Nonetheless, practitioners of long-form journalism continue to ply their craft, and often are the only reporters who take an interest in the disclosures of whistleblowers, insiders with direct knowledge of wrongdoing. How has the landscape of investigative reporting changed over the last several years? What future ramifications are there from these shifts? We’re joined by Jane Mayer, investigative journalist with the New Yorker, and Deborah Nelson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and director of the Carnegie Seminar at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland.
This episode was filmed on August 22, 2008.
Episode 1 - Analyzing the New FISA; Blowing the Whistle on the Department of Justice
First, a conversation with Jesselyn Radack, who walked us through her experiences blowing the whistle on the Department of Justice early on during the Bush administration. In 2001, when she learned that statements about ‘American Taliban’ John Walker Lindh were being publicly misconstrued by DOJ officials, she felt the full blunt of retaliation by the Bush administration. She currently serves as GAP’s Homeland Security Director.
Then we discuss the new FISA legislation. In July, Congress passed legislation that both greatly expanded the wiretapping abilities of the federal government and granted telecommunication companies that assisted in President Bush’s illegal spying program immunity. This panel discussed aspects of the legislation, and spent time looking forward to the ‘next steps’ of the issue (lawsuits, new administrations). Guests for this segment included Caroline Fredrickson, Washington, D.C. Legislative Director of the ACLU, and Peter Swire, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress.
This episode was filmed on July 18, 2008.