State Department Agents Say Jobs Were Threatened

[babylonsister]

State Department Agents Say Jobs Were Threatened
Submitted by davidswanson on Sun, 2007-09-30 04:49. Evidence

By Glenn Kessler and Karen DeYoung, Washington Post

Investigators in IG office were told not to cooperate with probe of their boss, house panel alleges.

Two career investigators in the office of State Department Inspector General Howard J. Krongard have charged that they were threatened with firing if they cooperated with a congressional probe of Krongard and his office.

Told by Terry P. Heide, Krongard's congressional liaison, that he should not agree to a request for a "voluntary" interview by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Special Agent Ron Militana said he was then advised that reprisals could be taken against him. "Howard can fire you," he said Heide told him. "It would affect your ability to get another job."

Militana said in a telephone interview yesterday that he took that comment and others as direct threats. He and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brian Rubendall, another career investigator who was also present at the Sept. 25 meeting with Heide and an IG lawyer, are among at least four IG investigators who have sought protection under the Whistleblower Protection Act. They also include the assistant inspector general for investigations and his deputy, who recently resigned after charging Krongard with impeding their work.

In recent weeks, the agents relayed their concerns about Krongard to Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), chairman of the oversight panel. Waxman has said he is investigating allegations that Krongard has repeatedly thwarted investigations into alleged contracting fraud in Iraq and Afghanistan, including construction of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and weapons smuggling allegations against Blackwater USA, a private security firm working under government contract in Iraq. The committee has scheduled a hearing on Oct. 16.

Waxman first revealed the details of the meeting in which Militana and Rubendall said they were threatened in a letter he sent yesterday to Krongard and posted on the committee's Web site. "I am appalled by these reports," Waxman wrote. "As an Inspector General, you hold a position of special trust within the federal government. Your office is supposed to be an example of how to protect whistleblowers, not an example of how to persecute them."

He said that the agents originally were cooperating anonymously but that they had decided to go public after the reprisal threats.

more...

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/27292

[ThomWV]

1. This is the sort of thing that people actually go to jail for.

One can only hope.

[babylonsister]

3. Most people do; I have my doubts with this crew. nt

[WHAT]

2. k & r

'nuff said

[mitchtv]

4. Not to worry,

Nothing will be done. The Dems will run and hide.