Lawmakers demand release of FBI whistlebower report

Sens. Chuck Grassley and Ron Wyden called on President Obama on Tuesday to release the findings of a Justice Department review of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s regulations to protect whistleblowers from retaliation.

{mosads}Obama ordered the review almost two years ago, directing the attorney general to compile a report assessing the effectiveness of rules in place and recommending potential improvements.

Grassley (Iowa), top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee and Wyden (D-Ore.) say they have learned that the report was delivered in June but not shared with lawmakers.

Citing  “a history of whistleblower retaliation” at the FBI, Grassley said federal lawmakers must be allowed to see the report.

“The FBI has had special rules for its own employees for decades that desperately need to be updated,” Wyden added. “It’s important for the Justice Department to explain whether they will fix this on their own, or if Congress needs to step in.”

The lawmakers pointed to reports that those who reported problems at the bureau have been confined to basement offices, given little work to do and had their reputations tarnished with “loss of effectiveness” labels.

Grassley and Wyden said that legislation could be needed to address those issues, based on the DOJ’s findings and a separate probe by the Government Accountability Office.