Sunday Read: National Whistleblower Day 2023 Roundup
At this year’s National Whistleblower Appreciation Day celebration in Washington, D.C. on July 27th, National Whistleblower Center (NWC) honored the contributions of whistleblowers around the world who have bravely stepped forward to expose waste, fraud, and abuse.
Over 100 attendees, experts, legislators, and whistleblowers commenced on Capitol Hill and at NWC’s office in Georgetown last Thursday to discuss accomplishments, updates and share strategies on building effective claims.
In this Sunday Read, we highlight some of the many standout moments, presenters and panelists of this 10th annual event — the first one held in person since 2019 — along with perspectives on the present and future of whistleblowing.
A.M. Kickoff
The morning opened with remarks from noted FBI whistleblower and Whistleblower Network News Columnist Jane Turner, NWC Executive Director Siri Nelson and NWC Board Chair Stephen Kohn.
Kohn reminded attendees of the “Story of Whistleblower Day,” beginning with the origins of whistleblower law in the United States in the 1770s and the American Revolution and how they have evolved and shaped legal and cultural landscapes through the generations.
The procession was followed by an address from Senator Charles “Chuck” Grassley (R-Iowa). A longtime supporter of the practice of whistleblowing and a strategic ally of the NWC, Sen. Grassley led the successful bipartisan update in 1986 to the False Claims Act.
“A key provision in that update, known as qui tam, allows whistleblowers to bring suit against alleged fraudsters on behalf of the government and share in any recoveries,” he said in a recent interview.
“Since my amendments were enacted, they’re credited with helping to recover more than $72 billion to the federal treasury and deterring untold billions more from fraud.”
Sen. Grassley was also lauded for having reintroduced a bipartisan resolution to designate July 30th as “National Whistleblower Appreciation Day” for the tenth consecutive year.
Following Sen. Grassley was Rhoan Jones of the Office of Special Counsel, Investigations and Prosecution Division, who emphasized that whistleblowers strengthen their organizations from within and make the federal government better.
Rounding out the afternoon was “Life after Whistleblowing,” a panel led by Turner that featured FBI whistleblower Fredric Whitehurst, Army Corps Whistleblower Toni Savage, and WorldCom Whistleblower Cynthia Cooper.
Afternoon Insight
The afternoon continued with a forward-looking session on the policy improvements needed for whistleblowers. The panel was moderated by Sherron Watkins, best known for blowing the whistle on Enron in the early 2000s. A featured speaker and presenter at National Whistleblower Day ceremonies, her honesty and bravery paved the way for sweeping corporate reform laws and helped present whistleblowers in the appropriate light.
“You can be a whistleblower in a corporation through the Dodd-Frank Act,” Watkins said during her introductory statements. “You can report fraud against the government through the False Claims Act. We need an avenue to be a whistleblower IN the government.”
The viewpoints during her session were provided by high-profile individuals, such as Social Security whistleblowers Jennifer Griffith and Sarah Carver, MIT Media Lab whistleblower Babak Babakinejad, and Theranos whistleblower Erika Cheung (who was portrayed in the 2022 Emmy-nominated Hulu series, “Dropout”).
“Recognizing Whistleblowers” was highlighted by the appearance of Marlon Ray. Ray, a former D.C. Public School (DCPS) administrator, blew the whistle on what he believed to be discriminatory practices throughout the DCPS system which disadvantaged predominantly Black students from east of the Anacostia River. For his bravery, Ray received a Proclamation from Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser recognizing July 30, 2023 as Whistleblower Appreciation Day.
The penultimate session was an open floor, which allowed participants to raise issues, concerns and observations on the practice of whistleblowing to NWC members, event attendees and stakeholders.
Nelson and Turner returned to conclude the event, noting the quality of the knowledge shared and the diversity and range of perspectives.
“This National Whistleblower Day was the first in person celebration in years. Attendees traveled from around the world to participate. And, the key word that resounded throughout the day was ‘Community’, what an incredible day!”
Looking to a Federally-Recognized Permanent National Whistleblower Day
Against the backdrop of the progress signaled by the improvements to the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) whistleblower program in December 2022 — which the NWC strongly advocated for — the tenth annual National Whistleblower Day marked a huge step forward for the practice.
National Whistleblower Day was also recognized by federal agencies such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Inspector General (OIG). These agencies issued memos and social media posts with #NWD2023 to help boost engagement and awareness.
The EPA OIG recently commented in Whistleblower Network News:
“Each year, we celebrate National Whistleblower Appreciation Day by hosting a panel that draws hundreds of attendees from the EPA, [Chemical Safety Board], and EPA OIG. The Inspector General also sends out an agency wide message highlighting the OIG’s role in encouraging whistleblowers and informing them of their rights and protections.”
In 2023, NWC organized an ongoing campaign calling for the permanent recognition of National Whistleblower Day. While the Senate has designated July 30 as National Whistleblower Appreciation Day annually, whistleblowers and whistleblower advocates believe that President Biden should sign an executive order permanently establishing National Whistleblower Day and requiring all federal agencies to recognize the day.
Support NWC
NWC marks a decade of celebrating whistleblowers. Our National Whistleblower Appreciation Day efforts have reached the public and inspired legislators to act. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit our work is made possible with the support of our generous donors. Please consider donating $75 today to help us continue our celebration of whistleblowers and their impact on society.
This story was written by Justin Smulison, a professional writer, podcaster and event host based in New York.
