Senior Democrat says decision to demote Halliburton worker will chill ....

[sabra]

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Senior_Democrat_says_decision_to_demote_Halliburton_worker_will_chill_whisteb_0829.html

Senior Democrat says decision to demote Halliburton worker will chill whisteblowing

RAW STORY


The top U.S. Army contracting official who first raised criticism over Halliburton's no-bid contract in Iraq was demoted Sunday for what the army called poor job performance -- the first time her performance was rated low in 20 years.

Today, Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) blasted the Bush administration’s decision to fire the lead government whistleblower in a statement to RAW STORY.

“Secretary Rumsfeld has lowered the axe on someone courageous enough to speak the truth about an abuse of taxpayer dollars," he remarked. "Ms. Greenhouse was simply being honest, which seems to be enough to get you fired in this Administration.

"This action is meant to send a chilling message to other federal workers: keep your mouth shut," he added.

[goclark]

1. Rumball is crazy like a fox!

Where is the sunlight in this nightmare?!

[Missy M]

2. This is outrageous. How could this happen, I thought whistleblowers...

were protected. Part of the story is confusing because first it says she was demoted and then it says she was fired. I believe she was demoted.

[krkaufman]

10. Ditto. I thought we had some sorta whistleblower protections..!! n/t

[Pirate Smile]

3. Do you think doing it on a Sunday before a Hurricane hit which people

thought might literally destroy New Orleans could have been intended to try to slip it past the eye of the media and public? Naawwww.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

4. When Dems have the house again they need to give her a

Congressional Medal of Honor

[BlueJac]

5. This is outrageous

Ms. Greenhouse was standing up for the American people by exposing the truth. It just proves that anyone that tells the truth about the Bush administration is toast. Liars get promoted and medals.


Unreal. :kick:

[mattclearing]

6. She has to sue their pants off.

You can't just let them get away with that. Was there any justification for it?

[still_one]

7. i hope so

[Benhurst]

8. It's not nice to tell the truth in

BushAmerica.

[kodi]

9. Fraud and waste! Fraud and waste! Hammer it into citizens heads

the Democrats can use this to attack the GOP's major talking point on the latter's call for reducing government spending in a whole myriad of programs.

thus:

"Its outrageous that the GOP complains about fraud and waste in government spending when they fire those in the government who point out the fraud and waste whose beneficiaries are the political allies of the GOP. Its only fraud and waste if their well heeled, well connected friends do not benefit from it. When their friends benefit from the fraud and waste, its called business as usual for the GOP."

[Mairead]

11. "Halliburton worker"? Say what?

She's a civilian employee of the Army, protesting no-bid giveaways to Halliburton.

Furrfu!