Des Moines Sun

In a recent letter to President Donald Trump, Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa urged the administration to safeguard whistleblowers while continuing efforts to cut federal waste, fraud, and abuse. As co-founder and co-chair of the Whistleblower Protection Caucus, Grassley praised the president's initiatives but emphasized the need for protection against retaliation for those who make legally protected disclosures.

Grassley stated, "For decades, my oversight work has exposed bloated government that’s broken faith with the American taxpayer. Trillions of dollars of taxpayer money have been lost to waste, fraud and abuse … However, I write today because it’s important that federal agencies aren’t using this downsizing initiative as an excuse to retaliate against federal workers who have made protected whistleblower disclosures."

The senator requested that the administration identify any federal employees terminated after making such disclosures outside of the Reduction in Force initiative. He asked for each case to be reviewed individually to ensure fair treatment.

Grassley continued by highlighting the importance of whistleblowers: “Whistleblowers are the government’s most powerful tool to root out waste, fraud, and abuse … In many circumstances, the misconduct and wrongdoing these patriotic whistleblowers risk their careers, livelihoods, and reputations to bring to light would have never been known...”

The letter also mentioned IRS whistleblowers involved in the Hunter Biden investigation who faced retaliation under previous administrations. Grassley worked with Trump's administration for their promotions at the Treasury Department.

He further cited efforts with Customs and Border Protection employees Mark Jones, Mike Taylor, and Fred Wynn who were retaliated against by a previous administration. The Trump administration restored their credentials upon Grassley's urging.

Throughout his career, Grassley has advocated for fair treatment of whistleblowers. He coauthored key legislation like the Whistleblower Protection Act and its enhancement in 2012. These laws include provisions ensuring nondisclosure agreements do not prevent disclosures.

Grassley concluded by urging continued attention on this issue: "I founded the bipartisan Whistleblower Protection Caucus... Those who fight waste, fraud, and abuse in government should be lauded for their patriotism."

The full text of Grassley's letter is available online.