Dr. Clare Herald's Legacy: Protecting Whistleblowers' Rights

Dr. Clare Herald was a great believer in Government Accountability Project and whistleblower rights. In response to a personal appeal in 2002, she provided a $10,000 gift that allowed us to focus more intently on corporate reforms after the Enron and WorldCom financial meltdowns.

Clare was pleased that we were able to develop corporate whistleblower protections that the U.S. Congress folded into the landmark Sarbanes- Oxley Act. After a number of federal court cases chipped away at these protections, Congress amended Sarbanes-Oxley in 2010 to overcome these narrowing judicial decisions. In particular, Congress clearly reaffirmed its commitment to federal court jury trials, holding companies responsible for the actions of their subsidiaries and outlawing the use of employment contracts to limit whistleblower rights.

When Clare passed away in December 2010, she knew she had made an important impact on the rights of millions of workers to blow the whistle on corporate misconduct.

She also knew that she had created a legacy that would allow Government Accountability Project to test and monitor those reforms for at least 10 years into the future. We learned of her bequest of $23,000 last year. This year, we were surprised to find out that she had also designated Government Accountability Project as a recipient of a portion of the remainder of her estate.

Altogether, we received $48,000 from Clare's estate. Each year for the next 10 years, we will move $4,800 of those funds from Government Accountability Project's Legacy Fund into program activities that she cared about deeply. Since these funds are also invested wisely, the income from her gift will extend even further. It is exciting and deeply fulfilling to be able to be a part of Dr. Clare Herald's vision for both Government Accountability Project and her ideals.