This is the fifth Washington Examiner op-ed documenting our team’s whistleblowing experience related to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Hurricane Maria recovery debacle in Puerto Rico.
What does a failed watchdog look like? The Department of Homeland Security‘s Office of Inspector General offers the clearest example in modern federal oversight: a measurable, documented collapse, demonstrated in its reports to Congress. The office has become an oversight void — where credible whistleblower disclosures disappear, and accountability is systematically avoided.
We compiled these numbers from the Office of Inspector General semiannual reports to Congress during DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari’s tenure. We then compared those numbers to those of other agencies. From fiscal 2019 to fiscal 2025, the Office of Inspector General’s Whistleblower Protection Division reviewed 3,144 retaliation complaints. It confirmed just 11 — a validation rate of 0.35%.
Other federal watchdogs corroborate 3%–8% of retaliation cases. In the private sector, the rate is 20%–25%.
That makes the Office of Inspector General between ten and 25 times less likely to confirm retaliation than comparable federal offices and 50 to 70 times less likely than the private industry.
MANILA, Philippines – The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has denied online claims about its operations with the Philippine National Police – Highway Patrol Group (HPG-PNP), warning the public ag...