More Los Alamos Whistleblowers

Just over two years ago, Los Alamos National Laboratory security officers Glenn Walp and Steve Doran were fired and escorted by armed guards from their office. The “crime” committed by these whisblowers was telling the truth to the Department of Energy Inspector General about rampant fraud and corruption at the Lab, which is run by University of California. Ultimately, their whistleblowing caused a series of Congressional hearings, a few people went to jail, and almost 20 people were implicated in the corruption and lost their jobs – including the Director of the Lab.

While the spotlight glared on that Los Alamos scandal, auditors Tommy Hook and Chuck Montano were working behind the scenes on the Lab’s finances and finding even more millions of dollars in financial irregularities. They were told to keep those findings secret since it might endanger the University of California’s $2 billion contract to manage the Lab, according to a CBS News piece that just aired Friday.

Also on Friday, at congressional hearings in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the Lab’s Director Pete Nanos took heat from POGO’s Executive Director Danielle Brian for allowing retaliation against whistleblowers. Since the Walp/Doran debacle, UC has adopted more nuanced retaliation techniques. Hook and Montano endured having their offices moved to a basement and being stripped of work for nine months. On Sunday’s Face the Nation, CBS anchor Bob Shieffer closed his program with a commentary on Los Alamos which concluded: “An exasperated Congressman Joe Barton, who's been tracking this mess for years, said one solution may be to just close the place down. Congressman, I think you're on to something.”

Comments

[Toby Clark]

>Posted by: Skip Smith | Jun 7, 2005 9:53:29 PM
>(1) This is a conspiracy by the University of California to silence Tommy Hooks. Of course, he's already >scheduled to testify before Congress, and he's been complaining since 1997, but for whatever reason they >decided now was the time to strike.

>(2) Tommy went out for a drink at the topless bar, some Los Alamos people recognized him, and they beat >the crap out of him.

>(3) Tommy went out for a drink at the topless bar, touched some boobies, and the bouncers beat the crap >out of him.

>(4) Tommy set the atack up himself to make the UC system look bad, make himself look like a hero, and >possibly win a pile of money in a lawsuit.

He was about to be a hero anyway and why would he have hired four thugs AND the bar security guard to come, just in time, to save him?

All four of these excuses are just plain silly; the many attempts to blame the victim are likely the work of the UC cleanup crew.

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[Skip Smith]

>>"Who else but UC President Dynes and his
> university stands to gain from this kind of brutal attempt at intimidation?"

How about Tommy Hook? Now he's a hero for conspiracy theorists everywhere.

I can think of 4 possible series of events that led to Tommy Hook being beat up in the parking lot of a topless bar:

(1) This is a conspiracy by the University of California to silence Tommy Hooks. Of course, he's already scheduled to testify before Congress, and he's been complaining since 1997, but for whatever reason they decided now was the time to strike.

(2) Tommy went out for a drink at the topless bar, some Los Alamos people recognized him, and they beat the crap out of him.

(3) Tommy went out for a drink at the topless bar, touched some boobies, and the bouncers beat the crap out of him.

(4) Tommy set the atack up himself to make the UC system look bad, make himself look like a hero, and possibly win a pile of money in a lawsuit.

Discuss.

[John Newlin]

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: John Newlin
> To: bob.kittle@uniontrib.com
> Sent: Monday, June 06, 2005 6:39 PM
> Subject: Fixing Los Alamos
>
> Dear Bob,
>
> Frankly, I was a bit perplexed to see the editorial concerning the
> effort of the University of California to retain managerial control
> over the Los Alamos National Laboratory in today's (06/16/05) edition
> of the San Diego Union Tribune. After all, the city of San Diego is
> deeply mired in so many complex problems and its citizens face so many
> complex issues, it's a wonder that every inch of editorial space isn't
> devoted to your home town. Not to mention the deep problems that our
> state faces. So I wondered why Los Alamos? Why now?
>
> Then I learned about Tommy Hook. As you well know, Tommy Hook, an
> internal auditor at LANL and a whistle blower who has already
> uncovered massive fraud, waste and abuse by UC and who was about to go
> before a congressional committee and reveal much more, was
> savagely beaten nearly to death over the weekend. His attackers
> ignored his wallet, watch, and car and delivered the message, "Keep
> you mouth shut" before leaving his broken body.
>
> That event made the last paragraph of your editorial all the more
> telling. I quote, "UC President Robert Dynes deserves credit for
> addressing the serious problems at Los Alamos and for putting together
> a strong team to fix them under a new contract, if it can still win
> it.
>
> Strong team indeed!!! Who else but UC President Dynes and his
> university stands to gain from this kind of brutal attempt at
> intimidation. And are you going to write about it?? If you don't,
> then suspicions confirmed.
>
> John J. Newlin, Cdr. USN (Ret.)
> 739 Nob Circle
> Vista, CA 92084
> 760-726-4876
> jnewlin@cox.net