National Whistleblower Day July 30th
Supported by Senator Chuck Grassley, the campaign to Make National Whistleblower Day Permanent needs support. In a letter to President Biden, Senator Grassley states “I have asked every president since President Ronald Reagan to hold a Rose Garden ceremony to honor whistleblowers. No president has done so. I hope you will be the first.”
And, “A Rose Garden ceremony on Whistleblower Appreciation Day with the President of the United States honoring whistleblowers for their courage and sacrifice sends a loud, clear message that our government leaders appreciate the importance of whistleblowers and retaliation will not be tolerated. It would inspire confidence in those who witness wrongdoing to stand up and do something to fix it. ”
Jane Turner, along with Bunny Greenhouse, Fred Whitehurst, Aaron Westrick, and Sherron Watkins launched their grassroots effort this past April. Urging President Biden to sign an Executive Order acknowledging July 30th as National Whistleblower Day permanently, the campaign urges for more national support and can be signed on Whistleblower Network News.
The Whistleblowers Leading the Campaign
Jane Turner, a highly decorated FBI Special Agent, became the first female head of an FBI resident agency. Over the course of her 25-year career, she led successful programs against crimes targeting women and child sex crime victims on North Dakota Indian Reservations. Despite facing retaliation for blowing the whistle on the FBI, Turner fought back and prevailed after a ten year legal.
Sherron Watkins, a former Vice President of Enron Corporation, played an essential role in exposing the company’s fraudulent accounting practices. Her actions brought national attention to the accounting scandal and contributed greatly to the subsequent collapse of Enron, one of the largest corporate bankruptcies in history.
Bunnatine (Bunny) H. Greenhouse is a former chief contracting officer Senior Executive Service of the United States Army Corps of Engineers who was retaliated against after exposing problems with a contract related to the the invasion of Iraq.
Dr. Frederic Whitehurst is the first successful FBI whistleblower, exposing forensic FBI crime lab.
Dr. Aaron Westrick, former research director of Second Chance Body Armor, exposed the production and sale of defective vests to police officers.
Why America Needs a National Whistleblower Day
Whistleblowers are a vital part of upholding justice and ensuring accountability in both public and private sectors. Without them, corruption would go unchecked and wrongdoing would remain hidden.
That’s why America needs a National Whistleblower Day. It not only recognizes the importance of these brave individuals but also encourages others to come forward with any knowledge they may have of illegal or unethical activities.
To sign the petition, visit Whistleblower Network News.