Whistleblower News from the Inside - February 25, 2014
By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team
NYPD internal affairs chief calls whistleblower a rat – The allegation comes from a lawsuit filed by an NYPD whistleblower who claims he was retaliated against for reporting misconduct within the Department. Daily News
Internal whistleblower reporting programs are getting stronger – NAVEX Global’s 2014 Ethics and Compliance Hotline Benchmark Report shows that internal whistleblower reporting programs are being used more frequently and providing higher quality tips. PR Newswire
29 people arrested for Social Security fraud – The round-up is the next step in a wide-ranging investigation of Social Security Disability Insurance fraud that has already led to the arrest of more than 100 others, including more than 70 former NYPD and NYFD personnel. WSJ
Western Union faces fraud probe – The FTC is investigating customer complaints over possible fraud-induced money transfers. Reuters
West Virginia False Claims Act bill up for vote today – The bill is up for a final vote today after state House members shot down Republican amendments that would have severely crippled the law’s effectiveness. West Virginia Gazette
Prominent government whistleblowers visit Princeton next week to tell their stories – Among the panelists are a former senior US Customs inspector who disclosed racial profiling and a former DOJ attorney who disclosed the NSA’s wiretapping during the Bush II administration. GAP
The Daily News article is chilling stuff. An Internal Affairs official calling “rat” on a whistleblowing cop is like a firefighter bringing marshmallows instead of a hoses. The Frank Serpico quotations in the article beg the question: how much has changed since Serpico scaled the blue wall of silence? The story is a reminder that while whistleblowers tend to be brave, whistleblowing cops are a rare breed apart who face down special self-preservation threats. It is also a reminder of how important word choice is when we talk about whistleblowers and why this is worth signing: http://www.whistleblower-insider.com/petition/#.UwzQQuN7LfA