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MISSION STATEMENT GAP is a nonprofit public interest group that promotes government and corporate accountability by advancing occupational free speech, defending whistleblowers, and empowering citizen activists. We pursue this mission through our Nuclear Oversight, International Reform, Corporate Accountability, Food & Drug Safety, Environmental Oversight, and Federal Employee/National Security programs. GAP is the nation's leading whistleblower protection organization. PROGRAM AREAS Nuclear Oversight The objective of the Nuclear Oversight program is to foster citizen activism and governmental accountability in the area of civilian and military nuclear facility operation and clean up, to protect and advocate for whistleblowers, to respond to new environmental threats, and to promote and help achieve nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation in a manner that protects the environment, safety, and health. The Nuclear Oversight program seeks to reduce or eliminate environmental, safety, health, and economic consequences of nuclear research, development of new uranium-based conventional weaponry, civilian nuclear power generation, and the production of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction; protect and advocate for nuclear whistleblowers, and injured workers in the nuclear industries; and establish an ethical work culture that encourages and protects the reporting of illegality, threats to health and safety and the environment, mismanagement, fraud, and abuse. GAP has worked (and continually is working) with whistleblowers at sites including the Hanford Nuclear Facility , Los Alamos National Laboratory , Rocky Flats , Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory , and Idaho National Engineering Labs , among many others. International Reform GAP’s work includes the international arena. Increased Globalization of government and corporate power exponentially expands the impact of institutional wrongdoing on the environment, public health and citizen safety. Accountability achieved through defense of fundamental rights to free expression and information becomes critical to checking abuses of power and corruption. GAP’s primary international focus at present is the reform of five major Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), including the Asian Development Bank , the European Bank For Reconstruction And Development , the Inter-American Development Bank , the World Bank , and the African Development Bank . GAP is working improve the accountability systems in place at the banks for employees by strengthening each institution’s whistleblower rights and retaliatory protection bylaws. In early 2007, GAP’s work was instrumental in uncovering widespread scandal at the World Bank related to Paul Wolfowitz ’ abuse of power as president of the institution. GAP’s work with whistleblowers inside the World Bank helped to expose the scandals that led to Wolfowitz’ resignation in May 2007. In selected instances, GAP engages in reform of the United Nations . In late 2005, the United Nations consulted GAP regarding a new anti-retaliation policy for whistleblowers. The new policy took effect on January 1, 2006 and set the bar for whistleblower protection for other IGO s. Corporate Accountability GAP’s Corporate Accountability program aims to hold businesses accountable by defending whistleblowers, publicizing wrongdoing and advocating for reform. The passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act Of 2002 (Corporate Accountability Act) provides comprehensive whistleblower protections for all employees of publicly-traded companies. GAP’s program activities include: • Conducting public education and outreach about the law • Defending corporate whistleblowers at the Department Of Labor and in federal courts to shape the interpretations of the new law for the courts and public opinion • Investigating substantive allegations of corporate wrongdoing • Promoting corporate codes of conduct and other needed reforms within certain industries and specific companies • Advocating for further refinements of the new law and promote its expansion to cover employees of privately-held companies • Challenging overreaching corporate influence on government regulation of business practices as well as fraud on government contracts Food and Drug Safety GAP’s work in this area has brought forth information on a broad range of major public health issues. These issues/our clients include: • Dr. David Graham , an FDA scientist, discovered that the pain-reliever Vioxx increased risk of cardiovascular problems. Despite threats from the FDA, Graham testified to the dangers of the drug and succeeded in convincing the FDA to require large warning labels on Vioxx packaging. • Charges by a prominent, Harvard-trained psychiatrist that four children may have died – and that countless other children and adults may have been harmed – by excessive medication of patients in state custody and other abuses of medicine. • Allegations by a government investigator that Big Pharma showered gifts, travel expenses, and other inducements on state officials to ensure that their expensive, non-generic drugs would be given to mental patients whether or not the drugs are right or even safe for them. This collusion puts the greed of the pharmaceutical industry before the mental health of patients and the financial health of citizens like you, whose tax dollars are subsidizing this graft. Environmental Oversight GAP’s Environmental Oversight Program helps whistleblowers expose corporate or government actions that jeopardize the environment. As part of this program, we reach out to government scientists and serve as a vehicle through which they can expose illegal government gag policies and release critical environmental information. We also provide legal and media advice and challenge censorship-prone agencies by advocating for the free speech rights of federal employees and contractors. Two major whistleblower clients with whom GAP has worked to make significant contributions in exposing the suppression of climate change science are: • Rick Piltz : Piltz blew the whistle on the White House’s improper editing and censorship of scientific reports on global warming intended for the public and Congress. In 2006, with Piltz’s leadership, GAP launched Climate Science Watch, a GAP program that reaches out to scientists, helps them fight off censorship, and brings to light the continued politicization of environmental science. • Dr. James Hansen : Hansen, one of the world’s top climate scientists, blew the whistle on NASA’s attempts to silence him. Hansen’s disclosures inspired GAP to conduct a year-long on the gagging of federal climate scientists. PROMINENT GAP CLIENTS Gary Aguirre Gary Aguirre is a former Securities And Exchange Commission lawyer who investigated a politically sensitive insider trading case involving Pequot Capital Management. At first, his supervisors had supported his inquiry. But when he sought to subpoena the CEO of Morgan Stanley , John Mack , who had briefly served as chairman of Pequot, Aguirre’s supervisors refused to allow him to issue the subpoena, claiming that it would be difficult because of Mack’s powerful “political connections.” Aguirre was then fired, only eleven days after he had received a two-step pay raise and his supervisor had praised his work on the Pequot investigation. "S.E.C. Is Reported to Be Examining a Big Hedge Fund." ''New York Times.'' June 23, 2006. Aubrey Blumsohn Dr. Blumsohn was a senior medical faculty member specializing in bone health at Sheffield University in England. In 2002, he agreed to conduct research for Procter & Gamble (P&G) to determine how the osteoporosis drug Actonel prevents bone fractures. He collected data but was prevented from analyzing his findings by P&G. In 2004, P&G allowed Blumsohn to review what the company purported to be the actual data set. In reviewing the data, Blumsohn realized that numerous graphs (illustrating Actonel’s effectiveness in preventing bone fractures) omitted 40 percent of a data set, apparently manipulating results to suit P&G’s marketing objectives. P&G officials told Blumsohn that if these additional data were included in the results, the study would have favored a competitor’s drug – Merck ’s Fosamax . He was then suspended by the university for speaking out about the issue to BBC. In 2006, he succeeded in pressuring P&G to release the full data set which, as he anticipated, failed to support P&G’s claim that Actonel is as effective as industry leaders in treating osteoporosis. "Disputes Over Industry-Funded Medical Research a Growing Problem." ''Associated Press.'' February 22, 2006. David Graham Dr. David Graham , an FDA scientist, discovered that the pain-reliever Vioxx increased risk of cardiovascular problems. Despite threats from the FDA, Graham testified to the dangers of the drug and succeeded in convincing the FDA to require large warning labels on Vioxx packaging. "Drug-Safety Reviewer Says FDA Delayed Vioxx Study." ''New York Times.'' November 4, 2004. Victoria Hampshire Dr. Hampshire was an FDA scientist who uncovered the dangers of an FDA-approved heartworm medication that had killed hundreds of dogs. The drug’s producer, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals , tried to counter Dr. Hampshire’s claim by attacking her character. The then-acting FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford granted Wyeth a private meeting in which the company presented him with “information” about Dr. Hampshire. Following this meeting, officials at the FDA’s Center For Veterinary Medicine removed Dr. Hampshire from the study of Wyeth’s product without explanation. She was then subjected to an FDA criminal investigation. Dr. Hampshire sought help from GAP, and the Veterinary Medicine Advisory Committee then voted to take the heartworm drug off the market. She was completely exonerated in the FDA’s internal investigation, and received an award for her work. Senator Charles Grassley soon launched an investigation into the actions of both Wyeth and the FDA. "FDA Official Chides Agency Over Treatment. ''New York Times.'' December 6, 2005. James Hansen Dr. Hansen is the top climate scientist at NASA , who in late 2005 released data showing that 2005 was the warmest year in a century and gave a lecture calling on U.S. leadership to reduce emissions of Greenhouse Gases linked to Global Warming . He then received messages from NASA officials threatening “dire consequences” if such statements continued. Restrictions were placed on his ability to speak publicly about climate change research, including a requirement that public affairs staff review his lectures, papers, and web postings before releasing them. News media were repeatedly denied interviews with Hansen by his supervisors, and drafts of his reports are severely edited before publication. "Climate Expert Says NASA Tried to Silence Him." ''New York Times.'' January 29, 2006. Rick Piltz Rick Piltz worked for years as an associate with the U.S. Climate Change Science Program. In June 2005 news reports, documents that Piltz obtained showed that a White House official with no scientific training was editing climate change science program reports in an attempt to confuse and obscure the perceived human impact on global warming. That official, previously a lead lobbyist for the American Petroleum Institute , was hired by ExxonMobil mere days after leaving the White House (on the heels of the story). Piltz is currently the director of Climate Science Watch, a GAP program that holds public officials accountable for how they use climate science. "Bush Aide Edited Climate Reports." ''New York Times.'' June 8, 2005. Andrew Thomson In late 2004, Andrew Thomson was fired from the United Nations for publishing a book that was highly critical of the international body for mismanagement of its peacekeeping operations. In March of 2005, his termination was reversed and he was promoted after Secretary General Kofi Annan , in an unprecedented decision, permitted public whistleblowing by U.N. employees. In January of the following year, the United Nations issued a new standard of whistleblower protection in an anti-retaliation policy, on which GAP was consulted. "UN Eases Stand on Doctor Who Criticized Peacekeeping Role." ''New York Times.'' January 6, 2005. GAP AND PAUL WOLFOWITZ In early 2007, GAP was responsible for exposing fraud and abuse at the highest levels of the left the international organization in the wake of wide-ranging scandals based on multiple releases of documents over the previous two months by GAP. "Wolfowitz Steps Down as World Bank President." ''Financial Times.'' May 17, 2007. GAP released evidence or exposed information showing that: Wolfowitz’s companion, Shaha Riza , received salary raises far in excess of those allowable under Bank rules; Riza received a questionable consulting position with a U.S. defense contractor in 2003 at Wolfowitz' direction that has resulted in State and Defense Department inquiries; Juan José Daboub , Bank Managing Director and Wolfowitz-hire, attempted to remove references and funding for “ Family Planning ” in Bank projects; Wolfowitz’ office was responsible for weakening a “climate change” strategy document; Bank Senior Management delayed reporting to Bank staff that a fellow staffer had been seriously wounded in a shooting in Iraq; World Bank lending to Africa during Fiscal Year of 2007 has plummeted; and Wolfowitz was trying to broaden the Bank’s portfolio in Iraq over Board opposition. ALL THINGS WHISTLEBLOWER BLOG In 2007, GAP launched a blog which examines whistleblower issues, events, and concerns across the nation. 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