The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.
February 24, 2025
If you are a federal civil servant choosing to remain in your job at this critical time for our nation, it is vital to consider now how you would report illegal, unconstitutional or other harmful actions at your agency. There are real risks involved in whistleblowing, from potential financial hardship to public and legal exposure. This piece is offered as brainstorming and planning support and is not legal guidance.
Be Wary of Internal Reporting
With the recent dismantling of long-standing institutional norms regarding human resources, privacy and IT security by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team, federal civil servants can no longer blindly trust internal whistleblowing mechanisms within their agencies. The DOGE team gained access to federal computer systems and sensitive systems by locking out current IT administrators, which raises serious questions. For example, would the identities of internal whistleblowers be safe from discovery by the DOGE engineering team or political appointee agency leadership?
Reporting a complaint to agency-designated inspectors general (IG), who serve as independent watchdogs, may not be as safe as an option as it once was. In January 2025 President Trump fired over a dozen inspectors general which, together with positions that remain unfilled,...
In This Article: WBA +0.78% Walgreens agreed to pay the United States $300M, plus interest at a rate of 4.00% per annum accruing from October 20, 2024, of which $150M shall constitute restitutio...