Fall 1997

POGO to Testify on Oil Royalties Before House Committee

POGO's Executive Director, Danielle Brian, has been asked to testify before the House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources on September 18. Chair Barbara Cubin (R-WY) sought Brian's testimony to assist in preparation of draft royalty-in-kind legislation due to POGO's expertise and record of reform on these issues.

As a result of POGO's persistence, the Department of Interior's Minerals Management Service changed collection procedures and has begun collecting a portion of the billions of dollars owed the federal government by oil companies leasing public land.

Court Rules on False Claims Act

June 16, 1997, the Supreme Court handed down a decision on the False Claims Act (FCA). Earlier this year, POGO took on the health care and defense industry associations who were opposing the FCA. POGO submitted an amicus brief documenting almost $2 billion in FCA settlements paid by these industries for defrauding the government.

The Court decided on only the narrow issue of retroactivity and ignored other key issues. The Supreme Court's decision

puts a stranglehold on anyone attempting to use the 1986 FCA to collect money for fraud that took place before 1986.

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POGO's 1st Annual "Beyond the Headlines Award"

POGO created the "Beyond the Headlines Award" to honor an activist, journalist, politician, or whistleblower who has gone beyond gaining headline attention to positively influencing public policy.

In the spirit of POGO's mission, this award will recognize individuals who draw attention to and work to permanently remedy systemic waste, fraud, and abuse. The award will be presented at our Fall fundraiser. We welcome your nominations.

Please fax, mail, or e-mail your nominations to POGO by September 26th, 1997.

Victory for Navy Whistleblower

Working with Representative Bob Filner(D-CA), POGO assisted in a victory wonfor Navy electronics technician, Larry Guillory. After 27 years of positive job ratings at a Navy facility in San Diego, he was told he would receive a marginalrating for 1996. Guillory had blown the whistle on a number of issues, including toxic chemicals in the workplace, racial discrimination, time card fraud, etc. He lost his job and contacted POGO for assistance.

POGO approached Guillory's Member of Congress, Rep. Filner, with information on his case and six other whistleblowers who had experienced extraordinary harassment at the same facility.

Rep. Filner personally handled the case and forced the Navy to change its position. The combined forces of Rep. Filner's office, POGO and Guillory himself paid off--Guillory has regained his job.

GAO Confirms POGO'S NRC Report

A June 1997 GAO report confirmedfindings from POGO's 1996 report, 'Who the Hell is Regulating Who?' Both reports highlight a lack of oversight by theNuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)which has led to long standing safety problems at nuclear power plants across the country. Safety issues identified almost 20 years ago by the NRC have yet to be fixed.

On August 12, 1997, POGO issued an update on the status of safety deficiencies at U.S. nuclear power plants. One year after POGO issued its first report on theNRC, only 67 of the 285 safety issues have been rectified.

More Criticism of Big Dig

In July, both the GAO and "60 Minutes"followed up POGO's report on Boston's "Big Dig" Harbor Tunnel Project. POGO's 1995 report led to the elimination of an obscure clause in the transportation appropriations bill that would have give nanother $700 million to a project already 400% over budget and six years behind schedule.

POGO assisted both the GAO and "60 Minutes" in their investigations of the BigDig -- a project currently estimated tocost nearly $12 billion.

Meanwhile, the ongoing Boston Grand Jury investigation into allegations of illegal activities at the Big Dig has focused onRep. Bud Shuster (R-PA), the powerful Chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

G-3 Calls for End to Federal Employee Censorship

POGO initiated a letter to President Clinton calling for withdrawal of his veto threat against a provision that would strengthen the Whistleblower Protection Act. The provision would make explicit,the existing right, if not duty, of a federal employee to provide to the appropriate members of Congress classified information that would expose a crime, reveal lies to Congress or uncover fraud. Seven participants in the Good Government Groups (G-3) coalition signed on to the letter.

This issue is at the heart of a new "Anti-Secrecy Campaign for Citizen's National Security" led by the Government Accountability Project, Fund for Constitutional Government and POGO. The goal of the campaign is to close the "legal secrecy" loophole, often justified on grounds of national security, which thwarts the public's right to know.

POGO Joins Fight Against Weapon Sales

In a letter to Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), POGO praised his efforts to end government acquiescence to corporate influence in his prevention of the import of millions of U.S.-made military rifles and pistols back into this country by foreign governments. Weapons likely to be imported to the U.S. are military rifles, carbines, and pistols given or sold cheaply to foreign governments during the Cold War.

POGO News

POGO announces three new additions to our Board of Directors:

David Burnham--an investigative reporter with over 30 years experience. Burnham worked with Frank Serpico and Karen Silkwood.

Marjorie Sims--co-founder & Exec. Director of Women's Policy Inc. Previously, she was Senior LA for the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues and a Congressional Black Caucus Fellow.

Morton Mintz--an investigative journalist with 50 years of experience. He has focused on corporate misconduct and economic malfeasance practiced by business giants and wasteful military procurement.

Because we have gained so much fromour unofficial advisors, we created an "official" Advisory Council. (This doesn't mean we want people to stop offering us advice and ideas.) Currently, our Advisory Council includes:

Myron Glazer, Smith College Professor and author, Whistleblowers: Exposing Corruption in Government and Industry.

Mary Schiavo, Ohio State Univ. Professor and former US DOT Inspector General. She recently authored Flying Blind, Flying Safe.

Charles Tiefer, Univ. of Baltimore School of Law Professor; former General Counsel to the US House of Representatives; Special Deputy Chief Counsel of Iran-Contra Committee.

Lewis Wolfson, American Univ. Professor; former Washington Bureau Chief, Providence (RI) Journal-Bulletin and author, The Untapped Power of the Press.