Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, asked for all documents related to Meyer's disciplinary case.

Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, asked for all documents related to Meyer's disciplinary case. Flickr user Gage Skidmore

Senator Intervenes to Back Intel Community Whistleblower Ombudsman

Following a disciplinary hearing, Dan Meyer risks termination for undisclosed reasons.

The embattled whistleblower ombudsman for the intelligence community faced a disciplinary hearing on Dec. 13 that could result in termination, days after Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, intervened on his behalf, Government Executive has confirmed.

Dan Meyer’s role for the past four years as executive director of Intelligence Community Whistleblowing and Source Protection has come under fire in recent months under acting Intelligence Community Inspector General Wayne Stone. The result has been cutbacks in Meyer’s role in educating employees at all intelligence agencies about their rights and obligations in cases of reporting alleged waste, fraud or abuse.

Late last month, Meyer was escorted from the ODNI watchdog’s premises and his office sealed off with crime-scene tape, according to sources that relayed the details to the staff of Judiciary Committee chairman Grassley, a longtime whistleblower advocate.

On Nov. 29, Grassley sent letters both to Stone and Dan Coats, director of the Office of National Intelligence, demanding that all records related to Meyer’s disciplinary case and his subject files be preserved. “Mr. Meyer’s office reportedly contains evidence relating to open cases involving alleged misconduct by senior officials,” the senator wrote to Stone. “Therefore, it is paramount that you ensure the contents of Mr. Meyer’s office are independently secured by officials with no involvement with his proposed termination. Or any of the subject matters contained in his files.”

Grassley asked Coats and Stone to turn over all documents related to Meyer’s disciplinary case by Dec. 8. As of Dec. 15, no response has been received, Grassley’s staff told Government Executive.

Accusations of unresolved instances of retaliation against whistleblowers surfaced this fall during the confirmation hearing for Christopher Sharpley, President Trump’s nominee to be the permanent inspector general at the CIA, where he is currently acting.

In the letter to Coats, Grassley questioned Meyer’s sudden removal and placement on administrative leave. “For an agency to take such a drastic personnel action while there is no confirmed, permanent inspector general in place irreparably undermines the independence of that office,” the senator told Coats in a message copied to Judiciary ranking member Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. Grassley asked that all records related to Meyer’s proposed termination “be preserved in anticipation of congressional oversight requests.”

Grassley went on to remind the ODNI that “obstructing a congressional investigation is a crime. Additionally, denying or interfering with the right of employees to furnish information to Congress is also against the law.”

He then placed the actions against Meyer in the context of indications that the ODNI might “hamstring” Meyer’s program, calling that program “critical to ensuring protections for whistleblowers in the intelligence community, safeguarding classified information and preserving the national security.”

Coats and his spokeswoman in October denied the suggestion by some of Meyer’s defenders that his program is on its way to elimination. Coats sent employees a memo saying “the ODNI whistleblower protection program is active, strong and an essential part of the Intelligence Community mission.”

The charges against Meyer are undisclosed, but are said by at least one insider to involve both alleged security violations and personal conduct.

Asked for comment on Friday, an ODNI spokesman cited a prohibition on commenting on personnel matters, but said the office will engage directly with the senator. “While we will not speak to any alleged cases or personnel matters, the ODNI unequivocally supports Intelligence Community whistleblower programs,” he added. “We are committed to ensuring that all IC personnel have the means available to report wrongdoing to a variety of authorized individuals without compromising national security or retaliation.”

Trump has nominated Justice Department attorney Michael Atkinson to be the permanent Intelligence Community inspector general.

(Image via Flickr user Gage Skidmore)

X
This website uses cookies to enhance user experience and to analyze performance and traffic on our website. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. Learn More / Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Accept Cookies
X
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings, to log into your account, to redirect you when you log out, etc.). For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link.

Allow All Cookies

Manage Consent Preferences

Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link

If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences.

Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.

If you want to opt out of all of our lead reports and lists, please submit a privacy request at our Do Not Sell page.

Save Settings
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Cookie List

A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Functional Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Performance Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Social Media Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Targeting Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.