Whistleblowers who worked for the National Security Agency and came forward with allegations of incompetence, espionage, lack of oversight and outright lawbreaking, were routinely harassed, intimidated, given false psychological evaluations and forced out of work, according to several whistleblowers.
Russell Tice, former NSA and Defense Intelligence Agency employee who was fired after filing complaints that a DIA employee appeared to be engaged in espionage, called the FBI “Federal Buffoons and Imbeciles” after they failed to properly investigate the complaint, he said.
A two part (1, 2) special report from Cybercast News Service goes into detail on how national security whistleblowers were harassed, intimidated and forced out of their jobs.
Former NSA officer Thomas G. Reinbold confirmed that the practice of “psychiatric abuse” inside the NSA is “very widespread.”
“They call it ‘doing a mental’ on someone,” Reinbold said, and it has a “chilling effect” on other potential whistleblowers, he added. “They fear for their careers because they fear someone will write up bad [psychological] fitness reports on them.” — Cybercast News Service
The whole thing’s well worth a read. Until wrongdoing is taken seriously and punished, there’s little hope of getting our intelligence community back on the track it should be on: protecting us from the next terrorist threat.
Next month Congress will hold hearings on the lack of protection from retaliation for national security whistleblowers. Circumstances permitting, they will be covered very closely here.
Via the Project on Government Oversight.
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Vampyra
Jan 26, 2006
This is silly. Please let the feds do their jobs.
Michael Hampton
Jan 26, 2006
Sure. Just tell me what part of their jobs involves failing to investigate espionage allegations and harass and intimidate whistleblowers.
Lenny Zimmermann
Jan 27, 2006
I’d say Micahel is dead on about that. It’s nto very hard at all in the intelligence comunity to scare the living daylights out of someone with very litte evidence. All that has to happen is someone saying they’ll pull your clearance. If something happens and you get any kind of report that suggests you are somehow unworthy of a particular clearance level, that’s a career killer. That’s all it takes. No clearance, no work. And if word gets out that your celarance was downgraded, that’s like saying someone is immenently untrustworthy. Your entire reputation is shot. And considering such a large part of your knowledge is wrapped up in classified material it’s even harder ot get a job outside of government because you are hampered by what little you can say you did or know, making you less marketable as a job candidate.
All of those reasons make it all the more reasonable to be exceptionally careful about protecting the rights of those in Intelligence positions who are only trying to make sure the government realy is doing the right thing.
Feb 09, 2006
Observe and report, then see what happens - Homeland Security or Homeland Stupidity
Feb 14, 2006
National security whistleblower hearings begin - Homeland Security or Homeland Stupidity
Feb 14, 2006
National security whistleblower hearings begin - Homeland Security or Homeland Stupidity
Feb 15, 2006
National security whistleblower hearings - Homeland Security or Homeland Stupidity
May 15, 2006
Tice will talk - Homeland Stupidity
Jun 12, 2006
Lawmakers want to hear from Russell Tice - Homeland Stupidity
Jul 14, 2006
FBI blows $305 million on case file computer upgrades - Homeland Stupidity
Jul 29, 2006
Russell Tice subpoenaed in intelligence leak investigation - Homeland Stupidity
diana carter
Oct 01, 2006
Security clearance, psychological evaluations at perry nuclear plant for long time employees who raise concerns are being treated with the same issues. I am not talking about new hires. these are employees that know the plant and know when things are not right. NRC, no help. EEOC no help It is getting worse there and no help. Thanks