All Things Whistleblower: A GAP Blog

NASA Chief Unsure that Global Warming is a Problem Humans have to Deal with?

In an interview this morning on NPR, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin argued that it’s not “within the power of human beings to assure that the climate does not change” and that scientists shouldn’t “be accorded the privilege of deciding that this particular climate that we have right here today, right now is the best climate for all other human beings.” According to Griffin, “that’s a rather arrogant position for people to take.” He added, “I have no doubt…that a trend of global warming exists. I am not sure that it’s fair to say that it is a problem we must wrestle with.”

In an ABC article, released only a few hours later, NASA climatologist James Hansen called these comments “unbelievable,” stating they indicated a “complete ignorance of understanding the implications of climate change” and “fly in the face of well-established scientific knowledge that hundreds of NASA scientists have contributed to.”

Let’s hope that other scientists follow Hansen’s lead and denounce this flagrant misrepresentation of climate science intelligence.

GAP Challenges National Organic Program Changes

Last week, GAP submitted comments to the US Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program concerning its proposed rule to allow the use of 38 conventionally produced substances in “organic” products. GAP is deeply troubled by the NOP’s decision to limit its notice and comment period to 7 days for such an important proposed rule. The standard time for public comment on a rule change is generally between 30 and 90 days.

Among the conventional items proposed for addition to organic foods are casings (made from intestines of cows, sheep and pigs) used for sausages. Acceptance of non-organic casings in organic food would unnecessarily put organic consumers at risk for contracting the human form of mad cow disease.

-- Jacqueline Ostfeld

C-SPAN Highlights GAP Event in “Podcast of the Week”

C-SPAN, which covered three hours of Washington Whistleblower Week panels in May, has highlighted the event in its “Podcast of the Week” for the week of May 14, 2007. Also available is the podcast of GAP’s panel on scientific integrity.

Also during Washington Whistleblower Week, GAP Legal Director Tom Devine testified in the House Committee on Education and Labor in a hearing entitled: Workforce Protections Subcommittee Hearing: "Private Sector Whistleblowers: Are There Sufficient Legal Protections?" The archive footage of the hearing is available here.

-- Dylan Blaylock
 

NYT Editorial on WPEA

Less than a week after Scott Shane’s cheeky, but nevertheless positive reporting on “Washington Whistleblower Week,” the New York Times editorial board chimed in with an incredibly helpful editorial on the need for strengthened whistleblower protections. 

Say what you want about mainstream media, but the Times absolutely nailed it with this one. 

Summarizing the status quo during for government truth-tellers during the Bush administration, the editorial notes, “Whistle-blowers have been systematically denied, demeaned and demoted by political appointees flouting laws designed to protect workers with the courage to come forward.”  No doubt…

It concludes with a plug for quick Senate action on the landmark, bipartisan whistleblower protections, HR 985, passed by the House earlier this year: 

“The House has approved an overdue remedy that would strengthen whistle-blower protection and the penalties for retaliators. The measure is particularly important for extending protection to national security workers so they feel freer to report misconduct and gaps in antiterrorism defenses. One provision would bar a familiar tactic of retaliation — the revocation of a complaining worker’s security clearance.

“The White House, of course, is threatening a veto, claiming the measure weakens national security. Tell that to Coleen Rowley, who quit the F.B.I. after documenting the agency’s failure to follow up on field office warnings before the 9/11 attacks. In truth, it is vital for national security that the Senate vote final approval of the measure with the same veto-proof support shown by the House…” 

Let’s hope the Senate is paying attention.

-- Adam Miles 

Baltimore Sun Op-ed

Today, the Baltimore Sun ran an op-ed, Protect Whistleblowers at World Bank, authored by Bea Edwards and Dylan Blaylock from GAP. The piece focuses on GAP’s role in the Wolfowitz scandal, and the fact that World Bank employees still do not have adequate whistleblower protections.  

Also in the news is a New York Post story claiming that Wolfowitz and Shaha Riza have split up.

We’ll recap the more substantive news of the week tomorrow.

-- Dylan Blaylock

World Bank Names Iraq Country Manager; Bank Report Shows Candidate Weak Choice

GAP has learned that Daniela Gressani, World Bank Vice President, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region, announced the appointment of Simon Stolp as World Bank Resident Country Manager for Iraq yesterday.

GAP has also obtained the report filed by the seven-member panel that interviewed the two finalists for the position, including Stolp. The panel concluded:

• The pool of candidates was extremely limited and particularly weak given the importance and visibility of the Iraq CM position.
• While Mr. Stolp was found to have relevant experiences and was thought to bring a number of strengths, the panel was left uncomfortable as to whether he could become a credible, substantive (as compared to procedural) representative of Bank with Iraqi and Donor counterparts, on account of his weak analytical background, and lack of knowledge about the Bank.
• Compared with candidates on other CM [Country Manager] short lists (e.g. Lebanon), Mr. Stolp would not place in the top third.

The timing of this appointment is surprising. Although Paul Wolfowitz did not explicitly say he would ‘recuse’ himself from ongoing personnel decisions at this level, he strongly implied that he would do so. Last Friday, May 18, Wolfowitz wrote the World Bank Board of Directors to say:

I believe all country manager and director personnel have been completed for the Spring, so I have no expectation of being involved in these or any other personnel actions.

For reasons related to security and effectiveness, both the Board and the staff at the Bank have previously expressed serious concerns regarding greater Bank presence in Iraq, in general, and about this appointment, in particular. GAP has questions related to this latest development:

• If Wolfowitz and Gressani are planning to expand lending operations in Iraq, aren’t they in violation of Bank regulations that prohibit activity in an ongoing conflict?
• Was Paul Wolfowitz involved in the decision to offer Stolp the position?
• Was another search conducted, as the interviewing panel requested?
• What will the relationship be between Stolp, as Country Manager and the U.S. and U.K armed forces?
• What are the security costs associated with this appointment?
• Why is this appointment being finalized now, when violence in Baghdad is widespread and intense?

-- Dylan Blaylock

Time to Get COOL (Country of Origin Labeling)

This morning, GAP joined other food safety advocates in urging Congress to authorize adequate funding in the next appropriations bill so that the US Department of Agriculture might immediately implement mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) for food. Currently, the US imports over 80 million shipments of food from abroad each year and inspects less than 0.3% of them. Apart from seafood, these foods are not labeled and many consumers have no idea where their food comes from. Following the recent pet food scandal, where workers in China intentionally spiked wheat gluten with melamine to falsely increase the appearance of protein in the food, it has become increasingly clear that all food safety inspection systems are not created equal.

-- Jacqueline Ostfeld