NSA watchdog put on leave in whistleblower case

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NSA watchdog put on leave in whistleblower case

December 20, 2016, 10:14 AM

WASHINGTON -- Allegations of retaliation against a whistleblower at the National Security Agency have left its top watchdog fighting for his job, according to an intelligence official and another individual familiar with the case.

The case could offer some credence to Edward Snowden’s claim that he could not have reported the government’s domestic surveillance program without facing reprisals.

George Ellard, the NSA’s inspector general, was placed on administrative leave after he refused to give the whistleblower a certain job assignment. The Project on Government Oversight, an advocacy group, first reported last week that Adm. Mike Rogers, director of NSA, had placed Ellard on leave and recommended that he be terminated. Ellard is appealing that decision.

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It’s not clear who revealed the whistleblower’s identity to Ellard. But the whistleblower said that after Ellard learned who he was, “I was denied an assignment within the NSA inspector general’s office of investigations because of my whistleblowing.” He sent the email to the AP on condition of anonymity because the case is still active...

Read more:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/nsa-watchdog-put-on-leave-in-whistleblower-case/