Latest News and Efforts from the Government Accountability ProjectForest Service whistleblowers vindicated after nine years!
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21 Apr 2003 22:15:00 -0000
<h1>Forest Service whistleblowers vindicated after nine years!</h1><br><br><b>Martin Edwin Andersen</b><br><br><i><bf>SMOKEY BARED: FOREST SERVICE WHISTLEBLOWERS GET<br>
<br>
SETTLEMENT AFTER AGENCY MISMANAGEMENT, RETALIATION</bf>
</i><br><br><br><br>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
<br />April 22, 2003
<br />
<br />FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:
<br />Tom Devine (ext. 124)
<br />Joanne Royce (ext. 131) Martin Edwin Andersen (ext. 143)
<br />
<br />Eight U.S. Forest Service whistleblowers have been awarded a $200,000 settlement along with personnel relief and cancellation of all disciplinary actions in what whistleblower protection advocates hailed as "a victory for stamina over bureaucratic intransigence that completely vindicates eight gutsy Forest Service whistleblowers after a nine-year nightmare."
<br />
<br />The eight had blown the whistle on environmental and fiscal misconduct at the Big Horn national forest in Wyoming. Their allegations included:
<br />
<br /> illegal Forest Service approved timber sales that razed caribou and other habitat overgrazing;
<br />
<br /> abandonment of reforestation commitments to restore habitat;
<br />
<br /> sweetheart sales that fleeced taxpayers to benefit politically-favored timber companies;
<br />
<br /> abandonment of wilderness preservation commitments;
<br />
<br /> internal agency mismanagement;
<br />
<br /> civil rights violations ranging from sexual harassment and "contempt" for handicap access regulations;
<br />
<br /> building roads through Native American sacred sites, and
<br />
<br /> a "pattern and practice" of whistleblower retaliation.
<br />
<br />
<br />"Government agencies that follow the law do not voluntarily shell out $200,000 in payments to angry workers," said Joanne Royce, lead counsel for the Government Accountability Project (GAP), the non-profit law firm that represented the whistleblowers. "The U.S. Office of Special Counsel's finding of illegal whistleblower retaliation was the breakthrough for vindication," added Tom Devine, GAP legal director.
<br />
<br />The whistleblowers' complaints resulted in the forced resignation of the Big Horn forest supervisor in 1997. However, as a result the experienced environmental staff was largely purged and replaced with less experience workers who allegedly enjoyed what Devine called "cozy" relations with the forest's new management. "This wasn't a case of Big Horn management not seeing the forest for the trees," said Devine. "Rather, the Forest Service's neglect, mismanagement and outright corruption meant the public couldn't see the forest for the sleaze."
<br />
<br />The terms of the agreement, announced Tuesday by the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC), the independent federal agency whose mission is to protect whistleblowers, included personnel actions that eliminated all relevant disciplinary actions taken against the eight and cancelled agency created obstacles to retirement eligibility.
<br />
<br />The eight individuals asked not to be publicly identified out of fear of further retaliation. They pointed out that Forest Service senior management responsible for both the Big Horn purges remain imbedded in agency leadership and continued to receive promotions, even as the whistleblowers were forced to seek legal action. "The fact that these senior officials not only kept their jobs, but were promoted, means the Forest Service continues to betray the public's trust," said Royce. "There shouldn't be a need for more whistleblowers to have to come forward--risking their careers and, sometimes, even more--in order to upset the good ol' boy network of corrupt and/or incompetent Forest Service senior management."
<br />
<br />In one bizarre incident, the Forest Service sought criminal prosecution after it suspended one of the whistleblowers for moving a "bat box"--used to house the flying mammals--30 feet, and later billed him for the cost of moving the box a second time. Previously the plaintiff had sought to enforce honest implementation of wilderness standards and guidelines at Big Horn and challenged as improper the diversion of wilderness funding from wilderness management. Another whistleblower, a former chief budget officer, called the bluff on phony financial pretexts for agency "reorganizations" that were a pretext for purging whistleblowers. In the aftermath of firing a dozen whistleblowers, the Forest Service hired an additional 50 percent more staff.
<br />
<br />"This case illustrates the Office of Special Counsel at its best," Devine added. "Although there was gross harassment the victims had little chance in a conventional lawsuit due to recent court decisions gutting the Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA). They won due to efforts beyond the call of duty by the OSC staff. Special Counsel Elaine Kaplan, prosecuting attorney Bruce Fong and investigator Linda Redding set a good government standard for leadership, hard work and cheerful persistence. This was a job very well done."
<br />
<br />A comprehensive report on the whistleblowers' allegations and the facts that back them up can be found on GAP's website, www.whistleblower.org.
<br />
<br />(endit)
<br />
<br /> <br><br>If you no longer wish to receive these e-mails, please send an email with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line. To one of the addresses below.<br><br>If you are recieving these emails from <a href=mailto:gap-general-list-request@whistleblower.org>gap-general-list@whistleblower.org</a><br><br>If you are recieving these emails from <a href=mailto:gap-media-request@whistleblower.org>gap-media-list@whistleblower.org</a><br><h1>Forest Service whistleblowers vindicated after nine years!</h1><br><br><b>Martin Edwin Andersen</b><br><br><i><bf>SMOKEY BARED: FOREST SERVICE WHISTLEBLOWERS GET<br>
<br>
SETTLEMENT AFTER AGENCY MISMANAGEMENT, RETALIATION</bf>
</i><br><br><br><br>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
<br />April 22, 2003
<br />
<br />FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:
<br />Tom Devine (ext. 124)
<br />Joanne Royce (ext. 131) Martin Edwin Andersen (ext. 143)
<br />
<br />Eight U.S. Forest Service whistleblowers have been awarded a $200,000 settlement along with personnel relief and cancellation of all disciplinary actions in what whistleblower protection advocates hailed as "a victory for stamina over bureaucratic intransigence that completely vindicates eight gutsy Forest Service whistleblowers after a nine-year nightmare."
<br />
<br />The eight had blown the whistle on environmental and fiscal misconduct at the Big Horn national forest in Wyoming. Their allegations included:
<br />
<br /> illegal Forest Service approved timber sales that razed caribou and other habitat overgrazing;
<br />
<br /> abandonment of reforestation commitments to restore habitat;
<br />
<br /> sweetheart sales that fleeced taxpayers to benefit politically-favored timber companies;
<br />
<br /> abandonment of wilderness preservation commitments;
<br />
<br /> internal agency mismanagement;
<br />
<br /> civil rights violations ranging from sexual harassment and "contempt" for handicap access regulations;
<br />
<br /> building roads through Native American sacred sites, and
<br />
<br /> a "pattern and practice" of whistleblower retaliation.
<br />
<br />
<br />"Government agencies that follow the law do not voluntarily shell out $200,000 in payments to angry workers," said Joanne Royce, lead counsel for the Government Accountability Project (GAP), the non-profit law firm that represented the whistleblowers. "The U.S. Office of Special Counsel's finding of illegal whistleblower retaliation was the breakthrough for vindication," added Tom Devine, GAP legal director.
<br />
<br />The whistleblowers' complaints resulted in the forced resignation of the Big Horn forest supervisor in 1997. However, as a result the experienced environmental staff was largely purged and replaced with less experience workers who allegedly enjoyed what Devine called "cozy" relations with the forest's new management. "This wasn't a case of Big Horn management not seeing the forest for the trees," said Devine. "Rather, the Forest Service's neglect, mismanagement and outright corruption meant the public couldn't see the forest for the sleaze."
<br />
<br />The terms of the agreement, announced Tuesday by the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC), the independent federal agency whose mission is to protect whistleblowers, included personnel actions that eliminated all relevant disciplinary actions taken against the eight and cancelled agency created obstacles to retirement eligibility.
<br />
<br />The eight individuals asked not to be publicly identified out of fear of further retaliation. They pointed out that Forest Service senior management responsible for both the Big Horn purges remain imbedded in agency leadership and continued to receive promotions, even as the whistleblowers were forced to seek legal action. "The fact that these senior officials not only kept their jobs, but were promoted, means the Forest Service continues to betray the public's trust," said Royce. "There shouldn't be a need for more whistleblowers to have to come forward--risking their careers and, sometimes, even more--in order to upset the good ol' boy network of corrupt and/or incompetent Forest Service senior management."
<br />
<br />In one bizarre incident, the Forest Service sought criminal prosecution after it suspended one of the whistleblowers for moving a "bat box"--used to house the flying mammals--30 feet, and later billed him for the cost of moving the box a second time. Previously the plaintiff had sought to enforce honest implementation of wilderness standards and guidelines at Big Horn and challenged as improper the diversion of wilderness funding from wilderness management. Another whistleblower, a former chief budget officer, called the bluff on phony financial pretexts for agency "reorganizations" that were a pretext for purging whistleblowers. In the aftermath of firing a dozen whistleblowers, the Forest Service hired an additional 50 percent more staff.
<br />
<br />"This case illustrates the Office of Special Counsel at its best," Devine added. "Although there was gross harassment the victims had little chance in a conventional lawsuit due to recent court decisions gutting the Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA). They won due to efforts beyond the call of duty by the OSC staff. Special Counsel Elaine Kaplan, prosecuting attorney Bruce Fong and investigator Linda Redding set a good government standard for leadership, hard work and cheerful persistence. This was a job very well done."
<br />
<br />A comprehensive report on the whistleblowers' allegations and the facts that back them up can be found on GAP's website, www.whistleblower.org.
<br />
<br />(endit)
<br />
<br /> <br><br>If you no longer wish to receive these e-mails, please send an email with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line. To one of the addresses below.<br><br>If you are recieving these emails from <a href=mailto:gap-general-list-request@whistleblower.org>gap-general-list@whistleblower.org</a><br><br>If you are recieving these emails from <a href=mailto:gap-media-request@whistleblower.org>gap-media-list@whistleblower.org</a><br>