March 14, 2006

Statement by Russell Tice

Former NSA Senior Analyst, NSWBC Member

To this point in time whistleblower protections have amounted to lip-service policies in federal agencies. This is especially true in national security related elements of government where exemptions allow retaliation without the slightest fear of being held accountable. Unfortunately, it would appear that many in Congress prefer to shirk their responsibility of oversight in favor of partisan politics.

The price of refusing to take responsibility not only equates to billions of wasted taxpayer dollars, it threatens our countries national security. When your government persecutes whistleblowers for reporting incompetence and malfeasance in dealing with contract fraud, public safety, espionage, or even terrorism, it is our national security that is at stake. When security classifications are used in an attempt to hide such wrongdoing and incompetence, the very mechanisms designed to protect national security are subverted. When the Justice Department is allowed to be used as an instrument to intimidate and terrorize whistleblowers that report wrongdoing and violations of the law and U.S. Constitution, our government equates more to a police state as opposed to one that is “For, By, and Of the People.”

Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. When the language of kings, such as “inherent power” is embraced by an executive sworn to protect a democracy that hinges on the separations of powers, whistleblowers act as the deterrent to those that would usurp their authority as well as to those that would shirk their responsibility.

This Bill would finally protect whistleblowers that in the past have risked everything for the sake of our citizen’s wallets, security, and freedom. It would also allow others that were intimidated into silence to finally speak out. One of these formerly reluctant public servants could possibly thwart the next attack similar to that of 9/11. History has proven we cannot trust the leadership of government agencies to be honest when covering up potential embarrassments holds precedence over our nation’s security and well-being.

I would like to commend Senator Lautenberg, Congressman Markey, and Congresswoman Maloney for their courage in sponsoring this comprehensive whistleblower legislation. I hope that the common sense that this bill represents will garner bipartisan support in both houses of Congress.

I would also like to thank the National Security Whistleblower Coalition and the Liberty Coalition for bringing the issue of substantive whistleblower protection to the attention of the legislature and the American public. Without these efforts I and many others like me would only be lone wolves crying in the wilderness.