Republicans in Congress want to know more about how to protect people who report wrongdoing in the investigation into the two failed attempts to kill former President Trump.
In a letter to Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), they voiced concern after it came to light that Secret Service employees had to sign nondisclosure agreements (NDAs).
The informants said they had to sign NDAs in order to get briefings on “sensitive reporting” that was related to their job as security officers for former President Trump.
Images sent to Secret Service officers asking them to sign an NDA were shown in the letter to Mayorkas.
Now, the senators want DHS to explain what the NDAs covered and if workers had to sign legally required language against gags.
The senators talked about the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act (WPEA) in their letter.
The WPEA says that “no federal agency nondisclosure policy, form, agreement, or related documents may be implemented or enforced if it does not contain specific language notifying the employee of their rights to disclose waste, fraud, abuse, or misconduct to Congress, an Inspector General, or the Office of Special Counsel (OSC).”
Senators Grassley and Johnson also asked the DHS to show them the danger assessment that was used to send the NDAs.
They also asked the agency to explain how the rule changed and affected the security details of Trump and any other government officials.
this is why DHS needs to be clear about informants’ rights.
“The importance of whistleblowers knowing their rights under the law cannot be stated enough, and federal agencies should encourage their employees to disclose allegations of waste.
Fraud, and abuse through all appropriate channels,” they stated. “Federal agencies cannot conceal their wrongdoing behind illegal non-disclosure policies and related actions.”