Champion of Truth Leaves Legacy of Justice

On Jan. 18, 2018, Anne Hale Johnson passed away, surrounded by family and loved ones. With her passing, Government Accountability Project lost a friend, an advisor, a donor and a champion of truth tellers everywhere.

Her association with Government Accountability Project began a few decades ago during her nine-year tenure as Chair of the Union Theological Seminary. We first met at a reception for Congressman Connie Morella who served her Maryland district as an uncompromising champion of federal employee whistleblowers. Like myself, Ms. Johnson had obtained a Masters of Divinity degree, hers from Union and mine from the Pacific School of Theology. She saw her life as one of ministry, and agreed with me that one of the roles for church in society should be to offer support, comfort and guidance to employees who are contemplating or have blown the whistle on their corrupt bosses.

She received numerous awards and special recognitions for her lifelong commitment to and passion for social justice, peace, gender equality and civil rights. In her relationship to Government Accountability Project, she was drawn to those cases and campaigns that would impact these values, but also make our federal government more accountable and our corporations more socially responsible.

Striving for Lasting Peace

On a more personal note, it is hard to imagine a more gracious and generous person. Yet, too, she was tough as nails about her assessment about the horrors and foolishness of the Iraq War, the unfairness of the attacks on Planned Parenthood and the importance of reining in the Defense Department budget in favor of universal health care and much broader educational opportunities for all.

As a final gesture to Government Accountability Project and all the whistleblowers whom we serve, Anne Hale Johnson has provided a generous bequest to continue our mission. Personally, I will miss her kind and gentle spirit. I love the fact that we will continue to serve the courageous and honest employees of conscience whom she cared so deeply about and believed in without reservation.

Louis Clark
Executive Director & CEO
Government Accountability Project

To learn how you can include Government Accountability Project in your estate plans, contact Michael Termini at (202) 926-3321 or michaelt@whistleblower.org to discuss your giving options.