Lindsey Williams, a reader of The Lang Report responded to an article originally published on June 1^st 2008 titled, Bunnatine “Bunny” Greenhouse - An Unsung Iraq War Hero by suggesting that I read and share a letter posted on the National Whistleblowers Center website.

If you’ve never heard of Bunnatine “Bunny” Greenhouse then it is certainly your loss as she is an extraordinary human being. I suggest that you read both the original article in TLR as well as the article and letter below.

Afterwards, I encourage all to take massive action!

Ms. Greenhouse explained why strong whistleblower protection is essential to the stimulus bill: "Those who should have protested [awarding the Halliburton] contract remained silent.  And their silence is not surprising because, as federal employees, we have no meaningful whistleblower protection!   We can be fired for reporting fraud.  We can lose our careers simply for doing our job and trying to protect the taxpayer."

After blowing the whistle on the government’s failure to properly award multi-billion dollar no-bid contracts as the Iraq war was about to start, Ms. Greenhouse was removed from her position.  Under existing law, she has no right to a jury trial and is barred from bring her whistleblower claims before a federal court.   The Platts-Van Hollen amendment to the stimulus bill (Section IV of H.R. 1) corrects these legal deficiencies and would provide whistleblower rights to federal employees who object to "waste, fraud and abuse" in federal contracting. 

Ms. Greenhouse, the former top civilian contracting official for the Army Corps of Engineers, stated, "The bottom line is that without access to independent courts, real judges and juries, whistleblowers don’t stand a chance, and fairness and transparency will not see the light day."   She is asking fellow Americans to contact their elected representatives and demand strong and effective whistleblower protections for federal workers in order to ensure that fraud in stimulus spending can be detected.

Recently the distinguished auditing firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers, concluded that strong whistleblower protection is critical to halting financial fraud.  "Respected corporate auditors have recognized that insider disclosure is critical to ferreting out fraud. The weaker the protections, the greater the fraud. Federal employees have the worst whistleblower protection imaginable and unless stronger whistleblower protections are included in the stimulus bill an awful lot of federal tax payer dollars will be flushed down the toilet," said Michael D. Kohn, General Counsel National Whistleblowers Center and Bunny Greenhouse’s attorney.

Greenhouse’s case received widespread national and international attention because she was the first and high-ranking government official to publicly expose problems with the Bush Administration’s Iraq war-contracting practices.  When the Rumsfeld Defense Department stripped her of all contracting duties, major Congressional leaders protested, including former Congressman Rahm Emanuel and Chairman of the Democratic Policy Committee Senator Byron Dorgan.

In a 2008 book, the PBS produces for the respected TV show "NOW" described Greenhouse as a "cogent whistleblower" who "believes that good government requires a certain amount of transparency, and that corruption is best deterred by accountability."

Personal Letter From Bunny Greenhouse
Please Urge Your Senators To Support Taxpayers! 
 
Dear American Taxpayers:
 
My name is Bunny Greenhouse.  I am the former Procurement Executive and highest-ranking Army Corps of Engineers civilian procurement official. 

Today I am asking you to contact your Senators and Representatives to demand, in the strongest possible terms, that employees who disclose fraud in federal contracting are fully and properly protected in the 800 billion dollar stimulus package that Congress is currently debating.  Here’s why.

Shortly before the Iraq War commenced, I blew the whistle on improper contracting concerning the award of a multi-billion dollar no-bid, cost plus contract to Halliburton/KBR for the reconstruction of Iraq.

I was concerned that improper contracting activity would cost the taxpayers billions – and it did.  The contract should not have been awarded.  From my inside prospective, it was clear that the “fix was in” – the contract was going to be awarded to Halliburton no matter what I said or did.

Those who should have protested the contract remained silent.  And their silence is not surprising because, as federal employees, we have no meaningful whistleblower protection!   We can be fired for reporting fraud.  We can lose our careers simply for doing our job and trying to protect the taxpayer.
 
I know this is true.  It happened to me.  The top brass demanded that I drop my protests.  I refused.   The top brass – many of whom had longstanding relations with government contractors – retaliated.  They removed me from the Senior Executive Service and from anything having to do with contract oversight.  When I went to federal court to demand protection the judge dismissed my case because as a federal employee I had no protection.
 
The bottom line is that without access to independent courts, real judges and juries, whistleblowers don’t stand a chance, and fairness and transparency will not see the light day.

Only Congress can fix this. The House of Representatives has already acted decisively by adding H.R. 985 to the stimulus bill, by a unanimous voice vote (now called H.R. 1, Section IV).   President Obama’s presidential campaign is on record as supporting the same whistleblower protections now found in House version of the stimulus bill. 

So, the buck stops with the Senate.  I urge you to contact your Senators and let them know that whistleblower protection is a critical part of the stimulus package for protection of the public trust.  I urge you to contact your Representatives and tell them to hold strong — and refuse to cut whistleblower protections from the bill.  Federal employees, like me, who risk their careers to protect taxpayer money need to be protected.

Please act now!  Pass this letter to your friends!  Pass this letter to your co-workers!  Pass this letter to your family!  Send a letter to your Senator Now!

Billions of taxpayer dollars are at stake and it is up to the Senate to do the right thing.

Very truly yours,   Bunnatine H. Greenhouse Former Procurement Executive Army Corps of Engineers