For Whistleblowers, Journalism and Democracy
Ed Pilkington in New York – The Guardian
The subpoena that was used by the US justice department to obtain details of a Guardian reporter’s phone account, as part of a leak inquiry, was issued by the Biden administration within the opening weeks of Joe Biden’s presidency.
by Elizabeth Goitein, opinion contributor – The Hill
When Edward Snowden revealed that the National Security Agency (NSA) had misused foreign intelligence surveillance laws to collect millions of Americans’ phone records, the resulting public outcry eventually led Congress to ban the practice. How would Americans and their lawmakers react if they learned that the government was misusing these powers to access the actual contents of millions of Americans’ communications, without a warrant or even a factual basis to suspect criminal activity?
A new report published by Government Accountability Project entitled “Breaking The Blue Wall of Silence: The Vital Role of Whistleblower Protections for Law Enforcement Officers,” provides a comprehensive overview of whistleblowing in the law enforcement community and seeks to begin a productive dialogue around this crucial, though often overlooked, aspect of police reform. This report is launched after an interview with our Legal Director Tom Devine on NPR’s “On The Media” about the horrific experiences of law enforcement whistleblowers who suffer chilling, and sometimes life-threatening retaliation for reporting abuses by their fellow cops. Protecting law enforcement whistleblowers who witness wrongdoing is a critical component of addressing the vacuum of meaningful accountability in law enforcement.
Defending Rights & Dissent — May 4, 2022
On Friday April 29, 2022, Defending Rights & Dissent brought a lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act against the Department of Justice, Department of Defense, Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Security Agency, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
Defending Rights & Dissent — May 3, 2022
In an unprecedented first for journalism, Politico reported on and published a draft Supreme Court opinion overturning decades of precedent that a right to privacy protected the right to have an abortion. Since this bombshell revelation, Chief Justice John Roberts has confirmed the authenticity of the draft. He also asked the Marshall of the Supreme Court to investigate the identity of Politico’s source. Some have even called for the FBI to join the investigation. A number of individuals, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), are already publicly advocating that the journalists’ source be criminally prosecuted. Defending Right & Dissent Policy Director Chip Gibbons had the following comment
Launched by the Institute for Public Accuracy in June 2014, ExposeFacts.org represents a new approach for encouraging whistleblowers to disclose information that citizens need in order to make truly informed decisions in a democracy. From the outset, our message is clear: “Whistleblowers Welcome at ExposeFacts.org.”
ExposeFacts aims to shed light on concealed activities that are relevant to human rights, corporate malfeasance, the environment, civil liberties and war. At a time when key provisions of the First, Fourth and Fifth Amendments are under assault, we are standing up for a free press, privacy, transparency and due process as we seek to reveal official information—whether governmental or corporate—that the public has a right to know. More information
Apologist for Tucker Carlson’s Racism: Glenn Greenwald
By Eoin Higgins
There’s no plausible way to dispute that Fox News host Tucker Carlson is spreading racist conspiracy theories, but Glenn Greenwald has been trying anyway.