I previously blogged about the idea behind a whistleblower caucus. Today, Senators Chuck Grassley and Ron Wyden held a press conference to launch the Whistleblower Protection Caucus in Room 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. Sen. Grassley is the chairman of the caucus and Sen. Wyden is the vice-chairman. Grassley said he created the caucus to build a coalition of like-minded Senators who can help bring attention to the need for ongoing whistleblower protections. Grassley stated that the goals of the Whistleblower Protection Caucus are to ensure “vigilant oversight” over whistleblower protection laws and to create “a culture of understanding and respecting the right to blow the whistle.”
The world should applaud the Republican Senator for his fervent commitment to the cause. Despite his party’s attacks on the False Claims Act and other whistleblower programs, Senator Grassley has been a tireless advocate both for the rights of whistleblowers as well as for the laws protecting them.