Letter from Loretto: John Kiriakou Blows the Whistle on Compromised Washington Watchdogs

12:45 pm in Uncategorized by MSPB Watch

Now this is tricky, because these groups helped him navigate the treacherous waters of the mainstream media, with mixed results, during his prosecution and through his send-off to prison. So for John Kiriakou to say the following about groups like the Project on Government Oversight (and implicitly the Government Accountability Project), when they expect loyalty in return (Washington being a transactional town and all), is nothing short of astounding:

No one knows this better than John Kiriakou, the CIA agent who reported to federal prison two weeks ago for blowing the whistle on the agency’s use of torture. During an interview at an Arlington, Va., coffee shop, Kiriakou said the time has come for Washington watchdog groups—organizations like Public Citizen, Project on Government Oversight, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, and others—to admit that President Obama hasn’t come close to making good on his promise to make government more transparent and accountable.

“Dan Ellsberg. He called me again last night,” said Kiriakou, referring to the man who in 1971 leaked the Pentagon Papers and opened the world’s eyes to the United States’ long involvement in Vietnam. “We talk about this all the time. He keeps asking me, ‘Where is the outrage? If this were a Republican administration, people would be in the streets, right? We would be marching in the streets. But people cut Obama a break to the point of irrationality.’ ”

This comes just a few days after this author sent Mr. Kiriakou a letter* urging him to consider who should speak on his behalf. Where it gets complicated is that GAP currently manages his legal defense fund, which is helping to support his family. That should continue unabated, regardless what insights Mr. Kiriakou shares with the world that prove uncomfortable for GAP and its cohorts.

*This author does not take any credit for this development. From his perspective, it is just a welcome coincidence.

Tags: Barack Obama, Central Intelligence Agency, Chuck Grassley, CIA, CREW, Daniel Ellsberg, Danielle Brian, FOIA, Freedom of Information Act, GAP, Government Accountability Project, Jesselyn Radack, John Kiriakou, NGO Accountability, Norm Eisen, Paul Thacker, POGO, Project on Government Oversight., transparency
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How Obama broke his campaign promise to whistleblowers

Here’s a brief rundown: in 2007-08, Obama ran on a platform of open government, transparency, and protecting whistleblowers. He even relied on his experience as a whistleblowers’ attorney to prove his bona fides. He won.

Two activists in Guy Fawkes masks hold a sign of Bradley Manning.

Anonymous activists in support of Bradley Manning (Photo: Bradley Manning Support Network / Flickr).

Around February 2009, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had the opportunity to provide long-sought protections to whistleblowers through the stimulus bill. He blew it. Meanwhile, the Justice Department was in the process of prosecuting (or preparing the prosecution of) the highest number of whistleblowers in history. At the same time, the whistleblower community (and then some) got together to prod the Democratic-controlled Congress to complete a decade-long attempt to update the Whistleblower Protection Act. This was in May 2009.

Then the Senate released their bill, which was watered down and divided the community. The White House was backing away from Obama’s campaign pledge. The National Whistleblowers Center stood their ground, arguing that jury trials are crucial. The Government Accountability Project and a few others, including the Project on Government Oversight, wavered. (They also had access to the White House and plenty of attention (and cash) from corporate-funded foundations with ties to the administration.) A split in the community occurred, and the bill died. Another bill cropped up, but it’s virtually identical to the one that came before.

So here we are: divided, demoralized, and adrift. GAP, POGO, et al are still peddling a weak, if not harmful bill while trying to silence dissent.

Obama is still prosecuting whistleblowers.

Retaliation goes on. Corruption goes on.

There’s a name for the kind of co-option that took place in the past three plus years: veal pen politics.

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