What is a whistleblower?

...and the guilty party is penalized.

Not just a conspiracy to do something bad, but exposing wrong-doing already in progress.

Thanks.

Whether someone is blowing a whistle or merely blowing their own horn is often a question of perspective.

they are not be confused with a traitor or a 'leaker' or a felonious thief who ostensibly may appear to be the same as a whistleblower - but they embarrass the political leaders of your side instead of your political opponents

But would it make a difference if the "something bad" is legal or illegal?

And what is the "light of day"? Are there proper channels? Is one going to the authorities or to the press?

state, finds ways to expose it to the public.

I wonder why there have been so many Whistle Blowers over the past decade, most exposing corruption in Government? And all seem to have had very similar stories to tell, yet it is the Whistle Blowers who have been persecuted, while the alleged crimes are never investigated at all. In the US that is.