April 12, 2024  USDA WHISTLEBLOWER RIGHTS FOR CORPORATE PRODUCERS  WASHINGTON — Government Accountability Project praised the Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural and Marketing Service for its rule that creates the nation’s first whistleblower protection for non-employees such as contract farmers and other producers of government-approved meat and poultry. Government Accountability Project had urged this breakthrough in public comments and ongoing representation and advocacy in support of exploited contract farmers who have blown the whistle on unfair and inhumane conditions on ..read more

Gag orders are still hampering federal whistleblowers, agency warns This article features Government Accountability Project Legal Director, Tom Devine, and was originally published here. Donald Trump is no longer president, but Washington’s problems with nondisclosure agreements remain. The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) is forcefully instructing federal agencies and employees that NDAs do not supersede whistleblower rights. But first, when writing about the OSC, an agency with a confusing name that’s led by special counsel Hampton Dellinger, it’s important to note that this is not a J ..read more

I traveled to Dominica to learn what happened to Daniel Langlois and Dominique Marchand This video features Government Accountability Project investigator, Zack Kopplin, and was originally published here. “He’s in a very select group of people who have gotten the government to sign off on a major monopoly that can make a ton of money for the person who holds it… They were money launderers, they were cryptos-cammers, sanctioned Russian oligarchs, fugitive criminals from all around the world. It’s an insane amount of money coming to the island, for an island of 70,000 people, and it’s certainly ..read more

April 5, 2024  Government Accountability Project Applauds Biden Administration for Issuing Strong Protections for an Independent Civil Service  WASHINGTON – Government Accountability Project applauds the new federal rule which will implement crucial steps to protect civil service workers. The rule, issued by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), will strengthen protections for nonpartisan civil servants across the country — the federal employees who serve the public regardless of the political affiliation of the President or partisan divides in Congress — from being replaced wit ..read more

Fox News: Was East Palestine an EPA misstep? This video features Government Accountability Project and can be viewed here. “Watchdog group Government Accountability Project obtained emails after making a public records request. It’s conclusion: ‘Taken as a whole, these documents reveal EPA’s dereliction of duty to protect the public and the environment.'” The post Fox News: Was East Palestine an EPA misstep? appeared first on Government Accountability Project ..read more

April 4, 2024 ‘Put America On Commission Act’ Would Protect Whistleblowers, Remedying Fraud WASHINGTON – This week, the IRS its investigation into nearly $9 billion in COVID pandemic relief fraud. As government agencies continue efforts to recover money lost through fraud within pandemic relief programs, Government Accountability Project that is crucial for full success in recovering these funds. The Put America On Commission Act (H.R. 7129) would amend the Small Business Act to establish the Office of Whistleblower Awards, which would not only provide relief and rewards for whistleblowers, b ..read more

News Nation: Ohio train derailment: Documents show EPA chose not to declare emergency This article features Government Accountability Project and was originally published here. EPA made the decision just three weeks after the derailment and burn Residents have complained of ongoing health problems Independent testing has shown evidence of toxins in the soil, air and water Documents obtained by NewsNation show the Environmental Protection Agency, despite having the legal authority to do so, decided not to declare a public health emergency following a train derailment in Eas ..read more

Fox News: EPA did not declare a public health emergency following the train derailment in East Palestine, officials say This article features Government Accountability Project and was originally published here. The aftermath of last year’s fiery train derailment in eastern Ohio doesn’t qualify as a public health emergency because widespread health problems and ongoing chemical exposures haven’t been documented, federal officials said. The Environmental Protection Agency never approved that designation after the February 2023 Norfolk Southern derailment even though the disaster force ..read more

April 3, 2024 FOIA Discovery Shows EPA’s Missteps Put East Palestine in Harm’s Way WASHINGTON – On September 21, 2023, Government Accountability Project filed a Freedom of Information Act request that would launch an investigation into the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) actions following the East Palestine Train Derailment. After a long and argumentative process, we received documents from the EPA on how it signed off on the vent and burn of the five vinyl chloride cars despite knowing hours before the unnecessary detonation that potentially deadly phosgene would be created. Addition ..read more

Associated Press: AP Exclusive: EPA didn’t declare a public health emergency after fiery Ohio derailment This article features Government Accountability Project and was originally published here. The aftermath of last year’s fiery train derailment in eastern Ohio doesn’t qualify as a public health emergency because widespread health problems and ongoing chemical exposures haven’t been documented, federal officials said. The Environmental Protection Agency never approved that designation after the February 2023 Norfolk Southern derailment even though the disaster forced the evacuatio ..read more