Whistleblower News From The Inside -- October 13, 2017

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team

Democrats move to shield whistleblowers who report pricey travel — House Democrats sought to expand whistleblower protections for federal workers who call out superiors for “improper use of air transportation,” following the mounting questions about Trump administration officials’ use of expensive forms of travel. Lawmakers offered the proposal as part of a debate over broader whistleblower protection. It was rejected by Republicans, as expected, but forced GOP lawmakers to vote on an issue that has drawn increasing scrutiny, as several Trump Cabinet members have faced criticism for regular use of chartered or military jets. Politico

Ben Carson Claims Government considering ending use of False Claims Act against FHA lenders — Carson said that Trump administration is already working with the DOJ on the use of the False Claims Act. “We are already addressing that problem; our staff, along with the DOJ staff. And we’re committed to getting that resolved, because it’s ridiculous, quite frankly,” Carson said of the use of the False Claims Act. Carson did not provide any additional specifics, but his response suggests that the government’s use of the False Claims Act to go after lenders could either be ending entirely or be significantly curtailed. Housing Wire

PSG chairman Nasser al-Khelaifi accused of World Cup bribe by Swiss prosecutor — The chairman of high-spending Paris Saint-Germain and the powerful sports broadcaster beIN, both owned by Qatar state funds, has been accused in Switzerland of criminally bribing the former Fifa secretary general Jérôme Valcke to buy TV rights to World Cup tournaments. Nasser al-Khelaifi, one of the most powerful figures in European and world football because of PSG’s and beIN’s Qatari backing and Fifa’s controversial vote for Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup, was recently named as the subject of a criminal proceeding by the Swiss attorney general’s office. The Guardian