Reply #7: JOAN CLAYBROOK, President, Public Citizen on now.

[L. Coyote]

Make it Safe organized this ground-breaking event.

"we have to strenghten whistleblowers protection from the miserable state they are in today..."

"our government should work for us"

"the imperial perogatives of the President have been taken to new lows"

http://www.citizen.org/congress/

Whistleblower Week

More than 40 public interest groups and hundreds of whistleblowers from around the country are rallying support for whistleblowers. When courageous people risk their careers to bring about a more honest and accountable government, they should be protected. Please join us in supporting the brave men and women protecting all Americans from government and corporate abuses during Whistleblower Week, May 13-19.

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On Edit. Found her speech transcript online:

Whistleblower Week Kickoff
Keynote by Joan Claybrook, Public Citizen President
May 14, 2007
http://www.citizen.org/congress/govtaccount/articles.cfm?ID=16616

I want to express my deep thanks to the Make It Safe Coalition for organizing this first-of-a-kind national Whistleblower Week here in Washington. This is truly a ground-breaking event. We are grateful for the many whistleblowers who have come here from across the nation to share their experiences with us and with lawmakers.

We are here to let Congress know, in no uncertain terms, that we need to strengthen whistleblower protections from the miserable state they are in today. I will make three points today briefly about the absolutely critical – and risky – role of whistleblowers in keeping our democracy healthy.

First, democracy needs an open and accountable government.