Manager Censors Analyst at Congressional Research Service

[G_j]

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/7121

Manager Censors Analyst at Congressional Research Service

Project On Government Oversight http://www.pogo.org
Contact: Beth Daley, [e-mail], 202-347-1122

In a growing culture of caution and fear of dissent, a Congressional research agency has warned a senior analyst to avoid describing his research findings. The analyst specializes in separation of powers issues for the Congressional Research Service (CRS) and has frequently authored reports which encourage the Congress to assert its Constitutional oversight authority over the Executive Branch.

The analyst was criticized over a report and comments he made concerning the plight of national security whistleblowers. “It is undeniable that unprecedented numbers of government whistleblowers face retaliation with no adequate protections. We are stunned that the Congress is offended to hear the truth about its failure to help whistleblowers and are even punishing their own seasoned researchers for talking about it,” said Danielle Brian, Executive Director, Project On Government Oversight (POGO).

Today’s Washington Times attacks the author of another controversial report which found that the National Security Agency’s domestic spying program was illegal (see http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/inpolitics.htm). The article criticizes the CRS staff member for making political donations to Democrats. In recent months, POGO has heard that phone calls and letters from Republican Members of Congress to the CRS have created a chilling effect on the agency.

A January 18, 2006 memo from Louis Fisher, a Senior Specialist in Separation of Powers, describes a culture of fear and retaliation for CRS staff. Fisher states that “Congressional research arms cannot function if they fear criticism. Disagreement––strong disagreement––is a natural condition on Capitol Hill.” Fisher has been with the CRS for three decades.

..more..

[punpirate]

1. This might explain why...

... so many CRS reports are lately finding their way to the Federation of American Scientists' government secrecy pages, even though they are not supposed to be distributed externally. It's the government worker's way of fighting back.

[leftchick]

2. can you say fascism is complete?

:(

[MountainLaurel]

3. Glad I didn't apply there now

CRS had an incredibly strong reputation for being nonpartisan and just interested in the research. I guess no government agency is exempt from the spread of the Bushistas totalitarian designs on the federal system.

[G_j]

4. the honest people are being pushed out

it is very sad.

[MountainLaurel]

5. That's happened at most federal agencies

I'm thinking specifically of the FDA people who have left because of the inesrtion of politics into the drug approval process, the researcher at the Bureau of Justice Statistics who left after being told to alter a report on racial profiling, the attorneys within Justice's environmental crimes division who were forced out and then replaced with industry lawyers, who suddenly found no merit in the cases DOJ was filing against their former employers.