I just read the post "Another World is Possible" here on Blogstream with the letter posted from Sen. Edward Kennedy. There is a link there to go in and put in a few licks about V.P. Cheney. Why not? Go for it.

I watched the House on C-Span today debating about monies and support for National Parks etc. I don't think they know how bad it is out there. Massive cuts have occurred and wildlife law enforcement officers are being assigned part time restroom cleaning duty daily which they must accept if they wish to keep a job. Oversight of wildlife harvesting, emergency and safety for the public also then suffers.

As far as I've been able to find out, the Senate is still hung up on even being able to take a vote on S. 274, Whistleblower Protection bill, by Senator Coburn from Oklahoma. Please pressure whoever you can to try to get past him and get this to a vote. The lives and careers of a lot of ethical Federal Employees who find themselves to be Whistleblowers depend on it. They want resolution and justice!

SO MANY THINGS...SO MANY CONNECTIONS...

So, what will happen to Cheney if indeed the whole question of his refusal to cooperate is taken to the Information Security Oversight Office?

My personal prediction if this is taken to ISOO… nothing will happen! Why do I say this? Look only as far as Mr. William J. Leonard- Director, ISOO. Prior to Bill Leonard’s showing up at ISOO, and his eventual appointment to the position of director, Bill Leonard served in the HQ Office of the Defense Investigative Service (later to become the Defense Security Service). So what, you say; what does that have to do with anything? Well, the Defense Security Service has oversight authority for all defense contractors performing on contracts with classified parameters attached to them. This included (and still includes) contractors such as Halliburton, Lockheed/Martin, Boeing, General Dynamics, etc., etc.

The list goes on to the tune of approximately 11,000 + cleared defense contractors. During the middle 1990’s there was tremendous pressure from the defense industry to change the oversight role and mission of the Defense Security Service. No small part of that pressure came from the industrial giants. At that time, Bill Leonard was working in DSS/HQ, Alexandria, VA along with Gregory A. Gwash- DSS, Deputy Director for Industrial Security. Bill Leonard and Gregory Gwash worked closely with the corporate facility security officers (FSO’s) of the defense contractor giants. For example, Lockheed/Martin, Boeing, then McDonnell/Douglas, etc.

So what, you say. Leonard and Gwash, working in close concert with those defense industrial FSO’s penned a new Industrial Security Manual (DoD 5220.22-M); one much more open ended, with reduced security requirements, and one subject to much more interpretation. Should I say, one much more favorable to industry?

Again, so what? This was all passed, and signed off by Pentagon authorities to the exclusion of the other signatory User Agencies to the Industrial Security Program. No one ever bothered to actually legally change the Industrial Security Regulation (ISR 5220.22-R, dated December 1985) that the ISM is supposed to be based upon. Why not? Because that would have taken too much coordination (dare I say visibility) with all the other authorities in the twenty plus other signatory User Agencies to the National Industrial Security Program (NISP). All those other User Agencies would have had their collective input into the regulatory process.

Since those days of the middle 1990’s, industry’s influence upon the government regulatory process has continued to grow. There has been far too much movement of individuals in government regulatory oversight roles to industry and vice versa. In too many instances, allegiances have been blurred; and what’s best for industry ("no oversight"), is not always in the best interest of the nation, or national security.

And what about Greg Gwash? Well, shortly after completion of the penning of the new industry frendly ISM, he accepted a position as the corporate FSO of the Boeing Company, Seattle. Hummm, now how does that work? You go directly from a position as the oversight authority for 11,000 + defense contractors to the corporate FSO of one of the largest defense contractors in the world.

And in the last six years it’s only gotten worse. So, what will happen to Cheney? My prediction… nothing!

Everyone who has an interest in the refusals of members of the Executive Branch to cooperate with investigators from the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform will want to read this article. "Dems Oppose VP Plan to Shut Info Office" by Deb Riechmann, Associated Press, dated 06/21/07. I found it on 6/23/07 on Netscape News, using a Google Search on "William J. Leonard, ISOO"

SENATOR TOM COBURN, (R. OKLAHOMA)
HAS PLACED A HOLD ON S.274 WHICH IF PASSED, WOULD GIVE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WHISTLEBLOWER RIGHTS, OR AT LEAST IMPROVE THEIR PROTECTION. (RIGHT NOW THEY ARE NOT PROTECTED AND ARE EFFECTIVELY SILENCED BY THE WRONGDOERS, AND OFTEN ARE HARRASSED AND THEIR JOBS AND CAREERS ARE RUINED.)

HE IS TRYING TO PREVENT THE SENATE FROM BRINGING THIS BILL TO A VOTE, AND WHAT LOOKS LIKE THE MAJORITY OF SENATORS FROM VOTING TO PASS THIS BILL. IT APPEARS TO BE HITTING THE FAN NOW. ACT AGAINST THE GROWING CORRUPTION IN OUR GOVERNMENT AND IN INDUSTRY WITH GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS! PLEASE READ BELOW AND CONTACT YOUR SENATORS!

This is information from the National Whistleblower Center regarding bills and various amendments which would expand the coverage of protection for Whistleblowers. Please write your Senator and ask them to pass a law which protects Federal Employees, both civilian and military, from retribution if they find themselves having to be a Whistleblower!

Thanks, Victorian Muse
----------------------------------------------

Take Action Now to ensure that S.274, the Senate whistleblower protection bill, keeps moving!

The Good News:

Last week, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs voted to approve S.274 and send it to the Senate floor for debate. S.274 is the Senate companion to the House bill H.R. 985. This legislation, if passed, would constitute an important and hard fought victory for Federal employees.

S.274 has thus far drawn significant bi-partisan support, and should it reach the Senate floor, is almost certain to pass with a veto-proof majority.

The Bad News:

After the vote, committee member Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) placed a hold on the legislation, which, unless lifted by Sen. Coburn, could effectively kill the bill.

This is a classic case of a Republican Senator carrying water for an administration which has already issued a veto threat to the House version of this bill. It is clear that the Bush Administration fears the type of effective oversight that S.274/H.R.985 would provide. Those in power desperately want to hold on to the current laws, because if these improvements to the whistleblower protection laws were to pass, it would give employees the courage to speak the truth about corruption and malfeasance that this administration has tried so hard to cover up.

What can we do?
Email your Senator to tell her/him how important S.274 is for Federal employees who wish to speak truth to power, but lack adequate protections to do so. Ask her/him to contact Sen. Coburn directly and persuade him to lift the hold he has placed on the bill.

Circulate this letter to your friends, colleagues, church groups, union offices, other public interest groups, and ANYONE who supports an employee’s Freedom to Tell the Truth. It is imperative that we keep the pressure on the Senate to pass S.274, this term! Whistleblowers have waited long enough.

SOMEONE SENT ME THIS INFORMATION THIS MORNING. THIS GIVES A BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHO WAS SPONSORING WHAT...

28. S.1244 : A bill to amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to expand coverage under the Act, to increase protections for whistleblowers, to increase penalties for certain violators, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Kennedy, Edward M. [MA] (introduced 4/26/2007) Cosponsors (24)
Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Major Action: 4/26/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.


S.508 : A bill to amend the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to apply whistleblower protections available to certain executive branch employees to legislative branch employees, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Grassley, Chuck [IA] (introduced 2/6/2007) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Latest Major Action: 2/6/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.