Project on Government Oversight - Whistleblower Staff Purged

[Synnical]

http://www.pogo.org/p/government/ga-050101-whistleblower.html

January 10, 2005

STAFF “PURGE” AT OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL
Whistleblower Staff Claiming Retaliation
Forced Moves to New “Midwest Field Office”



For Immediate Release
Contact: Danielle Brian, Project On Government Oversight, [phone]
Tom Devine, Government Accountability Project, [phone]
Chas Offutt, PEER, [phone]

Washington, DC — The U.S. Special Counsel, the principal protector of federal whistleblower and merit system rights, has abruptly ordered more than 20 percent of his headquarters legal and investigative staff to relocate or be fired. According to a letter of protest filed today by three national whistleblower watchdog groups, those targeted for forced moves are all career employees hired before Scott Bloch became Special Counsel, as part of a purge to stifle dissent and re-staff the agency with handpicked loyalists.

Bloch began the second year of his five-year term by ordering 12 headquarters employees, on penalty of removal, to accept involuntary transfers to Dallas, Oakland and a newly created Detroit field office. Bloch did not ask for volunteers or consult with affected employees beforehand. The employees have been given 10 days to agree to the transfer and 60 days to move. As many of the employees have families in the area it is not known how many will leave public service rather than move.

More . . .

[Goldeneye]

1. This is ridiculous

The gov't is trying to make itself totally unaccountable...whats it gonna take to get people really pissed off? They're already giving up their money and their children for a war based on lies...its just so unbelievable.

[Synnical]

2. I re-call a flyer

I was handed in September of 2001, when I traveled to DC, initially to protest the IMF/World Bank, but then re-worked after the Sept 11th attacks as an anti-war protest.

Anyway, the flyer read, "War is good for the Economy - Donate Your Child"

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[Al-CIAda]

3. Damn... eom