June 02, 2007

Eve Fairbanks at the New Republic (sub) is invited to drink the qui tam/retaliation-suit Kool-Aid, but doesn't seem to have partaken:

...as the week goes on, it becomes clear that Whistleblower Week is more than a rally. It's a chance for people who have long been miserable lone gunmen to come together and rejoice in whistle-blowing's transformation into a full-fledged personal identity -- a scene with its own specialized lawyers, therapists, 40-odd advocacy groups, a publishing imprint, swag, and even a timeless philosophy.

Amusingly, there has arisen a group of dissidents who've turned against the whistleblowing establishment itself, including its best-known entity, the Government Accountability Project (GAP): "'We're on a crusade to embarrass and enlighten GAP,' says a whistle-blower friend, detailing their plan to expose the group to its donors." Fairbanks describes their mission as "blowing the whistle on the whistle-blowers."