GOP lawmakers are calling for transparency regarding the protection of whistleblowers in the investigation into two assassination attempts against former President Trump. Senators Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson expressed concern after whistleblowers revealed that Secret Service employees were required to sign nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) in order to access briefings on sensitive reporting relevant to their work.
The whistleblowers claimed that they were woefully unprepared to provide security and shared photos showing screenshots sent to Secret Service agents requesting them to sign NDAs. Senators Grassley and Johnson are now requesting that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reveal the scope of the NDAs and whether employees were required to sign statutorily-required anti-gag language. They referenced the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act (WPEA), which states that federal agency nondisclosure policies must contain specific language notifying employees of their rights to disclose waste, fraud, abuse, or misconduct.
The senators also requested the threat assessment used to justify sending the NDAs and asked for information on how the requirement altered and affected the protective details of Trump and other government officials. They emphasized the need for DHS to provide transparency about whistleblowers’ rights and encouraged federal agencies to ensure their employees know their rights under the law and disclose allegations through appropriate channels.
In their letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, the senators highlighted the importance of whistleblowers knowing their rights under the law and cautioned against federal agencies concealing wrongdoing behind illegal non-disclosure policies. They urged agencies to encourage employees to disclose waste, fraud, and abuse and emphasized the need for transparency in protecting whistleblowers.
Fox News Digital reached out to DHS for comment on the situation. GOP lawmakers are advocating for transparency and accountability in the protection of whistleblowers in the investigation of the assassination attempts against former President Trump. Whistleblowers revealed that Secret Service employees were required to sign NDAs to access briefings on sensitive reporting related to their work. Senators Grassley and Johnson are calling on DHS to disclose the scope of the NDAs and ensure that employees are aware of their rights to disclose misconduct.
The whistleblowers expressed concern about being unprepared to provide security and shared photos of NDAs sent to Secret Service agents. The senators are urging DHS to provide transparency on the issue and explain how the NDAs may have affected the protective details of Trump and other government officials. They emphasized the importance of whistleblowers knowing their rights under the law and encouraged federal agencies to support employees in disclosing waste, fraud, and abuse.
The WPEA requires federal agencies to include specific language in their nondisclosure policies notifying employees of their rights to disclose misconduct. Senators Grassley and Johnson are requesting information on the threat assessment used to justify the NDAs and are advocating for transparency in protecting whistleblowers. They warned against federal agencies concealing wrongdoing behind illegal non-disclosure policies and emphasized the need for whistleblowers to have access to appropriate channels for reporting misconduct.
