House Judiciary Committee Extends Invitation to DoJ Whistleblowers, Promises Confidentiality

The House Judiciary Committee has set up a website for DoJ whistleblowers. This Web site is designed to receive on a completely confidential basis any information concerning the possible politicization of the United States Department of Justice since 2001. The incoming communications should be limited to those who represent that they are or were employed by the Department of Justice during that period. The communications will be received and reviewed by a select group of members of the majority staff of the Judiciary Committee of the United States House of Representatives. The staff will verify through official directories that the sender is or was an employee of the Department of Justice. The names, titles and identities of the senders will be maintained in strictest confidence, but once the identities are confirmed, the substantive information provided will be utilized for official Committee business, to the extent that it can be verified and confirmed. This Web site has been created in response to numerous requests by current or former career attorneys of the Department of Justice who have advised Members and staff of the House Judiciary Committee that they are concerned that the Department has become unduly politicized in pursuing its important law enforcement functions. These concerns were underscored by, but predated the firings of at least nine United States Attorneys in the second half of 2006. The concerns are voiced by lawyers in various divisions of Main Justice, including but not limited to, the Criminal Division and the Civil Rights Division and by assistant United States attorneys throughout the country. At the same time, many individuals have expressed concerns that their identities be kept confidential from political appointees within the Department out of a concern for retribution, which could include termination, demotions or other adverse employment actions. (…) The Committee is looking for concrete and specific actions taken or statements made by management-level officials of the Department that have led career employees to be concerned that law enforcement actions will not be handled on a completely non-partisan, impartial manner but will be unduly influenced by partisan political or other inappropriate considerations. via Paul Kiel at TPM Muckraker