The Liberty Coalition in the news following yesterday's press release. __________________________________________________________________ James Landrith [EMAIL PROTECTED] cell: 703-593-2065 * fax: 760-875-8547 AIM: jlnales * ICQ: 148600159 MSN and Yahoo! Messenger: jlandrith Taking the Gloves Off - http://www.jameslandrith.com The Multiracial Activist - http://www.multiracial.com The Abolitionist Examiner - http://www.multiracial.com/abolitionist/ __________________________________________________________________
> <http://www.govexec.com/> GovExec.com > > > DAILY BRIEFING November 30, 2005 > > Hearing on protections for national security whistleblowers postponed > > > By Chris Strohm > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > National security whistleblowers are flexing their collective muscle on > Capitol Hill in the hope of securing better protections for government > employees and contractors who report wrongdoing. > > A House Government Reform subcommittee announced Tuesday that an > upcoming hearing to examine whether agencies are unjustly revoking or > suspending security clearances in retaliation against employees who > speak out will be postponed until January. > > The subcommittee said groups invited to testify at the hearing - such as > the Project on Government Oversight and the Government Accountability > Project - requested more time to gather information and prepare > testimony. > > The postponement, however, came a day after members of the National > Security Whistleblowers Coalition sent a flurry of letters to the > subcommittee saying <http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1105/112805c1.htm> > their concerns and experiences will not be adequately represented by the > witnesses scheduled to testify. > > Coalition members asked that whistleblowers with first-hand experience > having their security clearances revoked be allowed to testify. The > subcommittee has not said whether it will change the witness list. > > "It is dangerous to our national security and wasteful of taxpayer money > to perpetuate the cover-up of wrongdoing in intelligence and law > enforcement agencies," wrote Sibel Edmonds, the coalition's founder and > director. "Congress' continued failure to provide meaningful protection > for national security whistleblowers gives opportunity and aid to our > nation's enemies." > > Edmonds is a former FBI contract language specialist who was fired after > alleging security breaches, mismanagement and possible espionage within > the bureau's translation unit in late 2001 and early 2002. The Justice > Department's inspector general issued a report in January concluding > that the FBI failed to properly investigate Edmonds' charges. > > The IG also found that Edmonds was fired mainly for bringing forth the > accusations. > > A lawsuit filed by Edmonds was ultimately appealed to the Supreme Court. > The high court, however, announced this week that it will not hear her > case. > > Edmonds said all of her legal resources have been exhausted, but she > vowed to continue building her coalition's strength and reach. Recently, > the group became part of the Liberty Coalition > <http://www.libertycoalition.net/> , which consists of both conservative > and liberal organizations. > > Liberty Coalition founder Michael Ostrolenk said several organizations > have become interested in supporting national security whistleblowers. > > "We want real protections for national security whistleblowers," he > said. "It disturbs me that Congress would not want people who are real > whistleblowers and have had the experience of being terminated or > retaliated against to testify at these hearings." > > On Tuesday, eight organizations that are part of the Liberty Coalition > sent a letter to the House Government Reform Committee requesting a > meeting to discuss issues related to national security whistleblowing. > In particular, the groups want committee Chairman Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., > to meet with Edmonds. > > The organizations -- which include the American Conservative Union, > Americans for Tax Reform and Gun Owners of America - said they are > especially concerned that pending legislation does not provide > protections to whistleblowers from national security and intelligence > agencies, such as the CIA, FBI, National Security Agency and Defense > Intelligence Agency. > > The legislation in question is the Federal Employee Protection of > Disclosures Act (a > href=http://capwiz.com/govexec/issues/bills/?billtype=H.R.&billnumb=3097 > &congress=109>H.R. 3097). > > "We are concerned that the bill does not provide protections to national > security whistleblowers, and that this lack of protection will encourage > fiscal irresponsibility and malfeasance in government," the letter > stated. > > "The costs to citizens in taxpayer dollars, inefficiency and > incompetence in national security agencies are especially difficult to > determine, and without whistleblower revelations, there would be > virtually no unvarnished glimpses into these areas at all," the > organizations added. > > Republicans on the committee, however, defeated an amendment > <http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0905/092905c1.htm> during a mark-up of > the bill in September that would have extended protections to employees > and contractors working at national security and intelligence agencies. > Reps. Davis and Todd Platts, R-Pa., said they did not feel comfortable > passing legislation that could affect the 1947 National Security Act, > which falls under the other committees' jurisdiction. They also argued > that the amendment would hurt the bill's chances of winning the approval > of the full House. > > The recent moves by Edmonds and her coalition apparently struck a nerve > with Republicans on the committee. > > "The committee is currently reviewing the Liberty Coalition's request," > said committee spokesman Drew Crockett in a statement. "Chairman Davis > has no peer in pushing for better whistleblower protections, and folks > like Sibel Edmonds unfortunately care more about issuing press releases > than getting anything done." > > This document is located at > http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1105/113005c1.htm ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> AIDS in India: A "lurking bomb." 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