FBI shows off its diversity -- and its retaliation

Posted on March 27, 2009 by Richard Renner

Washington Post reporter Al Kamen writes in today's "In The Loop" column about an FBI diversity promotion.  Kamen looked at the FBI's web page to promote its American Indian/Alaskan Native Program.  The program seeks to "Eliminate discriminatory practices," increase representation in key occupational positions (including the Senior Executive Service, SES), and "to increase opportunities for all employees to advance to their highest potential."

Kamen notices that the photo on the FBI's web page is of Elizabeth Morris, a former FBI special agent who alleges that the FBI retaliated against her after she filed a complaint of workplace bias. "Morris," Kamen reports, "says she was fired in 2007 for filing a complaint against a supervisor for making racially insensitive remarks and for alleging that another agent sent subpoenas to dozens of businesses not under investigation with no intent of reviewing the records."  Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) has asked the Justice Department to report back about this.

If the FBI really wants to promote diversity, it could be looking within its own ranks for minority employees who could qualify for promotion.  Bassem Youssef is another example.Bassem Youssef  He is the FBI's highest ranking Arabic-fluent special agent.  Yet, the FBI sidelined him for five years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.   In July 2006, the Department of Justice’s Office of Professional Responsibility concluded that the FBI illegally retaliated against Mr. Youssef because Mr. Youssef had made whistleblower disclosures to the Director of the FBI and a Member of Congress.

The FBI failed to promote Mr. Youssef to appropriate operational positions where the FBI as well as the nation would benefit from his exceptional and unique counterterrorism experience, Middle Eastern cultural understanding and Arabic language capability.

If the FBI is really serious about building a more diverse workforce, it must first admit that there's a gap and a problem that needs to be addressed. The FBI must protect its minority employees from retaliation. The FBI needs to allow independent reviews of its pending claims of retaliation, restore the careers of the affected minorities and take effective action against officials who retaliate.  

Tags:

16 Years After the Whitehurst Revelations, Forensic Science Still Tainted

Posted on March 2, 2009 by Marshall Chriswell

Back in 1993, world renowned FBI scientist Dr. Frederic Whitehurst (pictured right) brought to light astonishing deficiencies and scientific fraud at the FBI Crime Lab. These allegations would lead to a massive reform of forensic science at the FBI. The FBI labs were just the beginning, and since that time, Dr. Whitehurst, as director of the National Whistleblowers Center's Forensic Justice Project, has been a vocal advocate for reforms nationwide. In 2007, his work was highlighted in a 60 Minutes/Washington Post Special Investigation, and Congress took action to force the review of the cases of thousands of criminal defendants who had been convicted on potentially tainted bullet-lead evidence.

A new study by the National Academy of Sciences has put forensic science and crime laboratories back in the news, and not in a good way. The two-year congressionally funded report, issued February 18th, details the need for reform in our nation's forensic science programs. Specifically, it calls for an independent oversight organization called the National Institute of Forensic Science. Among other deficiencies, the report finds:

  • hundreds of thousands of backlogged an delayed requests for analysis
  • understaffing at 80% of the nation's crime labs.
  • a lack of certification and accreditation standards leading to inconsistencies between federal, state, local governments.
  • hundreds of convictions have been based on flawed science

These findings are extremely troubling, and we are happy that Congress took the initiative to fund this study. Now the New York Times is reporting that the Senate Judiciary Committee is planning to hold hearings on this report, and we believe that there would be no one better to testify on these issues than Dr. Whitehurst.

 

Digg This Story Here

 

Tags: , , , , ,