New Ruling Shows How Few Options There Are for Intelligence Community
Whistleblowers<https://www.justsecurity.org/53377/ruling-shows-options-intelligence-community-whistleblowers/>,
Irvin McCullough, Just Security, 5 Mar 2018. —Last week, a federal judge
dismissed a complaint by a CIA whistleblower (and spy), who goes by the
pseudonym James Pars. Pars’ case wasn’t so much about his whistleblowing
disclosure—basically a complaint about his work place conditions—as it was
about the procedures Inspectors General (IGs) must follow when investigating
whistleblower retaliation. Specifically, who can hold the watchdogs accountable
if they mishandle a whistleblower’s case? Can the whistleblower take the
watchdog to court? Presidential Policy Directive-19
(PPD-19)<https://www.va.gov/about_va/docs/president-policy-directive-ppd-19.pdf>
governs how IGs handle whistleblower cases; it was written to contain
whistleblowing within the Intelligence Community—there is no judicial review
permitted either by the directive or the statutes codifying the directive.
Moreover, as the presidential directive is not grounded in a congressional
statute, there is no right of private action under the Administrative Procedure
Act (APA). …
Patrice McDermott, Director
Government Information Watch<https://govinfowatch.net>
pmcdermott@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx