Whistleblower Insider Blog

Congressman Accuses Federal Investigators of Suppressing Safety Concerns at BP Offshore Oil Platform; New Life for False Claims Act Lawsuit?

By Jason Enzler Congressman Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) has accused government investigators of suppressing concerns about the safety of BP’s Atlantis oil drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico. According to a letter sent to the Secretary for the Department of the Interior, Congressman Grijalva claims that the agency’s Bureau of Ocean Energy and Management, Regulation, and Enforcement “mislead” Congress and...

Whistleblower News from the Inside - December 3, 2014

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team Takita vehicular airbag hearing – Witnesses testified before Congress today about the defective airbags that have led to millions of recalled vehicles in past weeks.  C-Span False Claims Act lawsuit alleges violation of Buy America Act – Maryland contractor Masonry Solutions International is fighting efforts by a whistleblower to discover whether it used foreign sourced...

In Their Own Words - Markey

-- “Every single one of these Takata airbags could be a ticking time bomb.”

Senator Ed Markey commenting during a Congressional hearing on the defective airbags that have led to millions of vehicle recalls and have been attributed as the cause of several deaths and injuries.

Monthly Roundup -- November 2014

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team Here is our look-back at the key whistleblower and fraud developments we have written about over the past month: FEATURED POSTS AND COMMENTARY This month’s featured posts and commentary included: DOJ Reports Continued Surge in False Claims Act Recoveries Prompted by Whistleblowers (here); SEC Releases Whistleblower Report for 2014: The Best Year Yet (here); Fifth Circuit Rules...

Whistleblower News from the Inside - December 2, 2014

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team Car seat maker under investigation for delayed reporting of defect -- Federal safety regulators open investigation into whether Graco Children’s Products delayed reporting a safety defect that eventually led to the nation’s largest recall of children’s car seats.  NYT Maricopa County Community College District settles whistleblower suit -- The operator of community...

In Their Own Words - Carlee

-- “I will not tolerate retaliation against an employee who makes such a report, and the city cannot afford to have employees second guess whether or not to make such a report.”

From Charlotte, North Carolina City Manager Ron Carlee on his decision to hire an independent third party to investigate an allegation the city fired a fire department investigator for complaining about what she believed to be unhealthy...

In Their Own Words - Henning

-- “WHEN WE WERE CHILDREN, ONE OF THE WORST THINGS TO BE KNOWN AS WAS A TATTLETALE.  BUT AS GROWN-UPS, DISCLOSING SECRETS THAT GET OTHERS IN TROUBLE GOES BY A MORE FAVORABLE NICKNAME: WHISTLEBLOWER.”

From Peter J. Henning, Wayne State University Law School professor, in his New York Times piece today titled Tattletales Embraced as Whistleblower Programs Gain Support.

In Their Own Words - Mersiades

-- “IT TAKES A TOLL FINANCIALLY AND EMOTIONALLY.  IN A RELATIVELY SMALL COUNTRY LIKE AUSTRALIA, YOU LOSE YOUR LIVELIHOOD; AND, AT MY STAGE IN LIFE, THE FINANCIAL SECURITY YOU WERE BUILDING FOR YOUR FAMILY.  BUT WE ALL NEED TO CONSIDER HOW WE WANT OUR LIVES MEASURED.”

Whistleblower Bonita Mersiades discussing why she reported misconduct she perceived occurring in FIFA’s bidding process for hosting the World Cup.

Whistleblower News from the Inside - November 26, 2014

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team FIFA whistleblower speaks – Bonita Mersiades discusses her decision to blow the whistle on alleged misconduct in the bidding process of the world’s governing soccer organization.  CNN Lying for sex may become illegal – At least in New Jersey, where a lawmaker has introduced legislation criminalizing it as rape by fraud.  Fox News DOJ files False Claims Act lawsuit...

In Their Own Words - Wootan

-- “This is one of the most important public health nutrition policies ever to be passed nationally.  Right now, you are totally guessing at what you are getting.  This rule will change that.”

From Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, on the FDA’s announcement of sweeping rules on disclosing calorie counts at chain restaurants, movie theatres and pizza...