(photo: Serguey / wikimedia)

Dissenters’ Digest takes a look back at news stories covering whistleblowers, watchdogs, and government accountability. Look for it every other Saturday evening at www.dissentersdigest.com.

See You In Court: House Republicans vowed to take Attorney General Eric Holder to court over documents withheld from Congress in its Fast and Furious scandal investigation.

Defiant: Ignoring a surrender order by the London police, Julian Assange has remained in the Ecuador embassy while awaiting President Correa’s decision on his political asylum request.

Abstention: The Justice Department won’t prosecute Attorney General Holder following Congress’ historic contempt vote.

Below the Fold:
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Stonewalled, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

Dissenters’ Digest takes a look back at news stories covering whistleblowers, watchdogs, and government accountability. Look for it every other Saturday evening at www.dissentersdigest.com.

Contempt: A House committee voted to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt for refusing to submit documents in connection with the Fast and Furious gunwalking scandal. President Obama invoked executive privilege, for the first time, to shield the documents from Congress. The measure may soon be presented to the House for a final vote. Meanwhile, Democrats are decrying the move as a political “witch hunt.”

Stonewalled: Senator Chuck Grassley is getting stonewalled by the Food and Drug Administration over an inquiry that it’s been spying on federal whistleblowers. The Senate and related House investigations were sparked by a lawsuit filed by six FDA whistleblowers who were allegedly targeted for surveillance. The National Whistleblowers Center is representing them in court. Relatedly, the Office of Special Counsel, which is also investigating the FDA over the same matter, released a memo this week to the federal government, urging agencies not to spy on whistleblowers. Doing so, the memo said, might lead OSC to conclude that retaliation is afoot.

Looking Backwards: President George W. Bush ignored a number of the CIA’s pre-9/11 warnings, according to new FOIA documents declassified and revealed this week.

Cover-Up: An Army Lt. General is accused of blocking a corruption probe in Afghanistan to help President Obama’s re-election.

Below the Fold:
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Dissenters’ Digest takes a look back at the week’s stories covering whistleblowers, watchdogs, and government accountability. Look for it every Saturday evening at www.mspbwatch.net/digest.

Congress Troubled by Suspicious Death of Russian Whistleblower: Congress seeks to use legislative authority to punish Russian officials allegedly involved in the suspicious 2009 death of Russian whistle-blower and lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, according to the The Hill. NPR reports that the bill in question could complicate US-Russian relations, jeopardizing Hillary Clinton’s 2009 “reset” with the Russian government. However, a person interviewed by NPR said a “reset … with Russian society” is required instead. The story of Magnitsky’s death has been chronicled in an award-winning documentary. Elsewhere, Firedoglake takes on the Congress for selective concern about civil and human rights.

Below the Fold:

–A whistleblower conference is scheduled for May 20-22 in Washington, D.C.

–A recently-unearthed FAA powerpoint presentation says the FAA “must evolve our safety oversight system and embrace the view that industry — not the regulator — is responsible for ensuring safety,” despite decades-old law placing safety regulation as the FAA’s highest priority.

–The first criminal charges are filed in the Deepwater Horizon gulf oil spill.

–Bradley Manning’s trial continues to be shrouded in secrecy.

–The Non-Federal Employee Whistleblower Protection Act reports out of a Senate committee. The bill would expand whistleblower protections for federal contractors.

–The House of Representatives passes the DATA Act, which would create a five-member commission to oversee federal spending.

–Vermont becomes the third state to call for a constitutional amendment overturning Citizens United v. FEC.

–Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein vows to pardon Bradley Manning as president.

–A Countrywide whistleblower laments the lack of accountability and ethics in the financial sector.

–A Missouri bill to restrict common law whistleblowing protections is passed in the General Assembly. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Kevin Elmer, who has a record of sponsoring discriminatory and birther legislation.

–The Securities and Exchange Commission was accused this week of blowing a whistleblower’s cover. The SEC responds.

–The summary judgment provision in the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012 comes under scrutiny.

–A federal employment attorney advises employees to violate the law when ordered to by superiors (notwithstanding their conscience or oath to the Constitution).

–The Make It Safe Campaign will hold a general membership meeting this Tuesday, May 1.

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