43 State Recovery Websites Lack Whistleblower Protections, Procedures, and Hotlines

In light of POGO's May 5th testimony detailing the need for state recovery websites to outline clear whistleblower hotlines and protections, as well as procedures for reporting fraud, waste, and abuse, we decided to conduct our own unscientific survey to figure out just what these state recovery websites say about blowing the whistle.

As has been reported in ProPublica and Federal Computer Week, here's what we found:

• Only 7 states (Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Texas) listed clear procedures for whistleblowers, such as what information to report, who to report to, and what will be done with that information.

• Only 7 states (Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Maine, Texas, Kentucky) listed which whistleblower protections exist. Of those 7 states, many only had a sentence or two explaining that retaliation is illegal.

• Only 14 states had a hotline phone number listed to report waste, fraud, and abuse. Some simply had a “Contact Us” email and phone number, while others had a “Suggestions Box.”

• 84% of the state websites listed the federal agency that awarded the contract, while the other 16% either didn't have the information, or provided information that was insufficient and confusing.

We wanted to applaud a few states in particular for their whistleblower-friendly websites, which will hopefully pave the way for others to follow. Tied for first prize were Florida and Georgia, whose sites did an excellent job of providing clear procedures and protections for whistleblowers. Next up were Maine, Connecticut, and Texas, whose websites all did a good job of making the whistleblower's job just a little bit easier.

All in all, the state websites demonstrate a newfound dedication to transparency and public input. And while the federal Recovery.gov website run by The Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board currently doesn't have their online complaint form up yet, we hope that stronger language and accountability measures will soon be put in place there too. Whistleblowers play an essential role in preventing fraud, waste, and abuse, and it is in the best interest of these states to create websites where it is easy and safe to blow the whistle.

We'll be watching to see whether the other 43 states follow the example of the top 7, allowing the detection and prevention of waste, fraud, and abuse to become the rule, not the exception.

-- Gracie Bowden

Comments

[Axel]

Aside from many corrupt loopholes in State WPA, non will succeed without a Federal WPA.

The Federal WPA HR1507 has no chance of succeeding with a hostile Executive and Legislative Branchs of our US Government such as President Obama and Holder and Senator Susan Collins and many others in the so-called US Senate Committee on Government Ethics and Good Government and that has been in effect for the past 10+ years.

[Scott]

Good work POGO.

I sent my claims into US DOE IG and here was their response:

This is to acknowledge receipt of your message to the Inspector General Hotline at the Department of Energy. The Office of Inspector General Hotline facilitates the reporting of allegations of fraud, waste, or abuse, at Department of Energy programs or operations. I reviewed your email regarding "monies from the US President Obama Recovery and Reinvestment plan in NY State." Unfortunately the Inspector General Hotline has limited resources and investigates allegations of fraud, waste, or abuse, at Department of Energy programs or operations. If you
have not done so already, you might consider taking this issue to the school board of the different schools you are concerned about. The New York State Education Department is another possible resources. Below is the link to the New York State Education Department and their fraud,
waste and abuse Hotline:

http://www.nysed.gov/

http://www.oms.nysed.gov/oas/fraud/home.html

They made it my job to police the School Districts in NY.
FYI

[George]

Your leading concern seems to be that the states did not fully follow POGO ideas (which others may hold, too). That's not how the vast majority of Americans measure success in most things. With due respect and thanks, POGO does some good work, but one might fear that if the public and private sectors followed all of your prescriptions, nothing would ever complete, because all activities would be about process and compliance. You need to get comfortable with the 80 percent solution for many of the things that concern you. Even 50 percent or less will do in many cases--if you want to do anything. That doesn't translate into percentages of dollars wasted or applied effectively or even caring about what portion of the citizenry is pleased or not.

[Axel]

Although too brief,

Great Article, Great Congressional Testimony (Thank you Chairman Towns and Committee Members) and a Great, Exemplary, Superb and Excellent supportive endeavor towards Federal Employee(s) Protection(s), Taxpayers and all and a hopefully forthcoming 'Federal Employee Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Restoration Act'.

Briefly, I have briefly viewed HR1507 (Federal Employee WPA) and Attachment with approximately 300 Supporting Organizations) which appears also as a Great, Exemplary, Superb and Excellent supportive endeavor towards proper and forthright Legislation towards the US Constitutional, Bill of Rights Protections of Federal Employees, Taxpayers and all. My reading of the HR1507 and Attachments appears to allow my case files and others to receive a new day for Adjudication and resolve.

Thank you and all for your time and consideration.