Impact Stories

The Golden Anniversary of Government Accountability Project

In just three short years, the Government Accountability Project will celebrate its Golden Anniversary representing 50 years of transformative advocacy. We have served as a lifeline to employees of conscience, helping them to safely and effectively release critical information that serves the common good.

Standing Up Bravely to Speak the Truth

In July 2020, nurse Dawn Wooten came forward to blow the whistle on abuses she witnessed while working at the Irwin County Detention Center (ICDC), an ICE detention facility run by LaSalle Corrections.

From the very beginning of our republic, democracy needed accountability to thrive or it risked being overtaken by those with selfish interests. It is not cynicism but in fact, patriotism that calls on us to demand transparency to ensure that the public good is being served.

Since the 2016 presidential election, we have been facing a political environment that presents unprecedented challenges to holding our government institutions accountable: flagrant, deliberate disregard of truth; attacks on lawmakers, journalists and judges; censorship of information and of employees; contravention of ethics norms and rules; stacking control of public agencies with appointees proudly committed to private interests at the expense of the public interest; expectations of compliance with illegal and unvetted executive orders; a climate of swift reprisal against those who challenge this administration's legitimacy—including the press, the judiciary, elected officials and career civil servants deemed "disloyal"—in the form of mendacity, venomous verbal attacks, and threatened and real reprisal.

Government Accountability Project was born 40 years ago in the wake of Watergate. That presidential scandal was exposed through the joint efforts of The Washington Post and whistleblower Mark Felt, the deputy director of the FBI and identified anonymously as "Deep Throat." By 1977, there was an avalanche of whistleblowing from across the government.

Fourteen years ago the giant companies Enron and World.com crashed and disappeared into the ether. In their wakes tens of thousands of individuals and their families lost their jobs or retirement investments or both. The ripple effect across the entire national economy certainly caused an unpleasant jolt but also provided an opportunity for reform.