Our daily pick of the most meaningful, inspiring, or instructive quotes straight from those on the front line — fighting, exposing, or reporting on fraud and injustice, wherever it may lie.
In Their Own Words — Grassley
Posted 08/17/16
-- “Our government has a responsibility to serve the people. When it falls short, the people have a right to know. Without the brave and patriotic work of individuals who bring failures to light, our government would be even less accountable to the people.”
-- "IT SEEMED THAT WE HAD SOMEBODY WHO FELT THAT SHE WAS ABOVE THE LAW AND THAT'S NOT THE CASE BECAUSE NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW."
Pennsylvania prosecutor Kevin Steele on the conviction of State Attorney General Kathleen Kane on charges of perjury and conviction. Click here for more.
-- “We're all susceptible to social psychology techniques that are used to manipulate physicians in different settings, and the relationships between surgeons and device reps can be very close. We're all susceptible to friendship and flattery.”
Adriane Fugh-Berman, director of PharmedOut, a Georgetown University Medical Center project focused on pharmaceutical marketing practices. Click here for more.
--"If sponsors said 'we are never going to support anyone who tests positive, never supporting coaches who have or have had athletes who take drugs, never supporting agents who have supported drugged athletes'... They could snap their fingers and that would eliminate a huge part of the problem."
Steve Magness, the coach who blew the whistle on an elite Nike-sponsored athletics program, discussing the continuing...
-- “We’re continuing to stand up for whistleblowers and clear away impediments that may chill them from coming forward with information about potential securities law violations.”
Stephanie Avakian, Deputy Director of the SEC’s Enforcement Division, commenting on the government’s actions to prevent companies from requiring workers to waive their whistleblower rights.
--“It was a weak leader in a weak government delivering a weak response. Banks will continue to be the tail wagging the dog as long as we have that situation with government.”
Jeff Morris, the whistleblower who revealed a financial planning scandal at Commonwealth bank, commenting on the Coalition’s commitment to hold Commonwealth and other banks accountable in the future. Click here for more.
-- “This opens the door to much larger whistleblower payments in offshore-account cases.”
Bryan Skarlatos, New York tax attorney, commenting on a U.S. Tax Court decision that granted two whistleblowers $17.8M, and greatly expanded the scope of rewards claims in such cases. Read more here.
In Their Own Words -- U.S. Office of the Special Counsel
Posted 08/3/16
-- "Courageous employees deserve our appreciation but all too often they face harassment, demotion or firing. Such retaliation is unlawful, and we are working together to make sure that it is stopped and that those who retaliate are held accountable."