Friday, March 30, 2007

California SemiAnnual Report on Whistleblowers

A semiannual report on whistle-blower complaints by the Bureau of State Audits pinpoints at least nine cases of employee or agency misconduct costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to The DailyNews.com.

State employees viewed pornography on office computers, made nearly 500 hours of personal calls on state phones and used state equipment to run their own side businesses, according to the recently released report.
The findings were the result of about 270 investigations opened based on tips the Audit Bureau received on its hotline and Web site from last July to Jan. 31. Many of the cases are ongoing, according to California Auditor Elaine Howle, says The DailyNews.com. The bureau has seen a sharp increase in complaints since 2002, when a law took effect requiring state agencies to notify employees about California’s whistle-blower hotline.

Click here to learn more about Californias SemiAnnual Report on Whistleblowers.

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Lawmakers in DC Get Whistleblower Support Vow

Lawmakers exacted repeated pledges from the Food and Drug Administration chief Thursday that he supports the right of agency whistle-blowers to alert Congress to drug-safety and other concerns, according to the Guardian Unlimited.

The FDA’s treatment of whistle-blowers has long been of concern to members of the House and Senate, stemming in part from allegations the agency has retaliated against employees who spoke out about safety issues with the now-withdrawn painkiller Vioxx, antibiotic Ketek and other drugs.

The hearing this week of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s subcommittee on oversight and investigations returned to the topic multiple times. The hearing was the second in as many months on the FDA and drug safety, but the first at which agency commissioner Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach was invited to appear, says the Guardian Unlimited.

Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich , Dingell and told von Eschenbach that it is illegal to interfere or retaliate against employees who share information with Congress.

Click here to read more about Lawmakers Support of Whistleblowers.

Friday, March 23, 2007

DA Chief Vows to Defend WhistleBlowers

Lawmakers exacted repeated pledges from the Food and Drug Administration chief Thursday that he supports the right of agency whistleblowers to alert Congress to drug-safety and other concerns, according to ABC Eye Witness News.

The FDAs treatment of whistleblowers has long been of concern to members of the House and Senate, stemming in part from allegations the agency has retaliated against employees who spoke out about safety issues with the nowwithdrawn painkiller Vioxx, antibiotic Ketek and other drugs.

Thursdays hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Committees subcommittee on oversight and investigations returned to the topic multiple times. The hearing was the second in as many months on the FDA and drug safety, but the first at which agency commissioner Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach was invited to appear, says ABC Eye Witness News.

Click here to learn more about support of whistleblowers.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Senator Grassley assails War Profiteering

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee today to say he will sponsor legislation to prevent contractors for the U.S. government from stealing millions of dollars from the American taxpayers through fraud.

Grassley said he would use the False Claims Act, “which I got updated with legislation 20 years ago, is a part of the solution. My 1986 amendments have helped recover 20-billion dollars that otherwise would have been lost to fraud by government contractors.”

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Sunday, March 18, 2007

Alameda County in CA Seeks to Dismiss Fraud Suit

Alameda County is seeking to dismiss a whistleblower lawsuit alleging widespread fraud, conspiracy and financial misconduct at the county’s public hospital system, according to InsideBayArea.com.

The lawsuit was filed a year ago, in March 2006, under seal in Alameda County Superior Court. The filings were unsealed this week at the prompting of MediaNews. The legal action was brought by Betty Rowe, the mother of Gwen Rowe-Lee Sykes, an ousted trustee of the Alameda County Medical Center. Betty Rowe is named in the suit as a so-called qui tam plaintiff under the False Claims Act.

The case, Alameda County, State of California versus Cambio Health Solutions, is seeking unspecified damages on behalf of taxpayers for alleged fraudulent acts committed by administrators, trustees, consultants, physicians and others at the Alameda County Medical Center, says InsideBayArea.com.  The medical center is the county’s safety net public health care system and includes Highland Hospital in Oakland, John George Psychiatric Pavilion and Fairmont Hospital in San Leandro, and clinics in Oakland, Newark and Hayward.

Click here to learn more about the Alameda County whistleblower suit.

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