Whistleblowing involves the disclosure of wrongdoing by employees or insiders. It first occurred in 1773 when Franklin exposed corruption. The US passed its first whistleblower protection law in 1776. While laws exist to protect whistleblowers, 74% still face retaliation like job termination. Surveys show most people support whistleblowing and stronger protections as it promotes accountability. However, whistleblowers also face personal consequences as seen with Linda Tripp and Mark Whitacre who assisted investigations but also faced legal issues.

1. Whistle Blowing
By: Katlyn Trzaska

2. What is Whistle Blowing?
• The disclosure by a person, usually an employee in a
government agency or private enterprise, to the public or to
those in authority, of mismanagement, corruption, illegality,
or some other wrongdoing.
• Ralph Nader defines it as, “An act of a man or woman
who, believing that the public interest overrides the
interest of the organization he serves, blows the whistle
that the organization is in corrupt, illegal, fraudulent or
harmful activity”

3. Facts
• The first example of whistleblowing occurred in 1773, when confidential
letters exposed by Benjamin Franklin proved the governor of
Massachusetts misled parliament to promote a military buildup in the new
world.
• July 30th, 1776 - The first whistleblower protection law in the U.S. was
passed unanimously by the Continental Congress
• U.S. Securities and Exchange commission reported that in the year 2013,
3,238 whistleblower requests were received. Up by 8% from the past year
• The 3 most common complaint categories reported by whistleblowers are:
Corporate disclosures and financials, fraud, and manipulation

4. Protection Whistle Blowers
• All U.S. states have laws to protect public
employees from employer retaliation
• Pennsylvania has laws protection both public
and private sector employee’s
• Whistleblowers Protection Act 1989 - Protects
individuals from employer retaliation after they
“blow the whistle”
• Despite the various law and protections, 74% of
whistle blowers are terminated from their position

5. Is Whistle Blowing Ethical?
• Loyalty to employer vs. Moral commitment to the law
and society
• Survey conducted by the U.S. Democracy Corps
showed that of 1,014 voters, 70% supported
whistleblowing and more whistleblowing protections
• “Broken Window” Theory - Promotes the ideology
where communities will report or fix a broken
window, rectifying the smallest incidents of
wrongdoing.

6. Linda Tripp
• Stated that President Bill
Clinton lied under oath
• Concerning his affair with
Monica Lewinsky
• Tripp’s public image was
reduced after the scandal
broke
• The Department of Defense
leaked information from Linda’s
personal files

7. Mark Whitacre
• Blew the whistle on Archer
Daniels Midland
• Exposed an international price
fixing conspiracy for the FBI
• Mark went to prison for fraud
and and tax evasion in wake of
the ADM case
• Various books and films have
been based off of Mark and his
years as an informant