There is no more satisfaction than standing up for the truth but blowing the whistle comes together with a hostile toxic environment, harassment, discrimination and other injustices severe or pervasive enough to cause you emotional distress, and take away your focus from your job, interfere with interpersonal relationships… No matter your situation, finding support is key to stay focused an healthy and to navigate unlawful toxic behaviors. Heard from my whistleblower peers how Whistleblowers of America have helped many manage these situations more efficient and successful through supporting, connecting, mentor training…because no no one should be punished for standing up for the truth to protect society.
At a time when I was ostracized and totally alone during my whistleblower journey, I reached out to WOA from across the waters in Johannesburg South Africa.
Had it not been for their unwavering willingness to listen, inviting me into their community and support, notably with my mental health struggles, I wouldn't be writing this today.
You saw me when others turned their backs.
You made space for me.
You always welcomed me in.
You've fueled me when I needed it most with kindness, understanding and compassion.
I am forever grateful I found you all!
Previous Stories
I became a VA whistleblower in 2012. For 6 years, I tried to bring light to issues on my own. I tried members of Congress, the Senate, both VA Committees, members of the media, and groups on social media. This all ended in disappointment and frustration with a broken system. In 2018, I reached out to Whistleblowers of America. What a change. Instead of a useless VA Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection, I now had an ally. While the VA still retaliated against me daily, I felt comforted in knowing that my concerns were being heard. I was finally in touch with lawyers who understood the process for whistleblowers as well as media that looked objectively at the evidence and printed the truth. I was also now in touch with other VA whistleblowers who understood what I was going through and provided advice to keep me sane throughout the process.
I have watched many hearings regarding whistleblowers, and the conclusion that I drew from them is that Whistleblowers of America are the only ones fighting for us. They seek advice from us to show real life examples of what the VA is illegally doing to their employees who seek to bring light to wrongdoing by the VA. They also recognized the myriad of avenues of redress we have and are trying to simplify and strengthen them. I encourage you to support an organization that is standing up to the federal agencies that ignore and shame whistleblowers for doing the right thing.
Nicholas Griffo
Its been 21 years now and I've been striving to prove to the world that I am right, or that something I said, did, or decided was right, especially when most of the people involved in my case knew they were wrong. I have been praying and asking God to send someone my way to help me bring light of my family and I situation. God afforded me an opportunity when I had a phone conversation with Ms. Jackie Garrick, Mr Tom Devine, and Mr. Robert Ward Whistleblowing of America. This is why I say today that God doesn't make mistakes. It was predestined by God that the three of us would meet each other. A former co worker said "Raymond when you are connected to the right umbilical cord your story is going to touch people all over the world". I spoke out against my former department the Broward Sheriff's Office for police brutality, corruption, planting drugs on black offenders and beating young black men to the ground which landed me at the federal prison faced with Natural life imprisonment without parole. I was charged with Trafficking 350 kilograms of cocaine that was equivalent to 750 million dollars. They had no drugs no money nor any mention of drugs and money it was all fabricated to silence my request for justice. I took my case before a 12-panel jury in federal court. The chief Judge and Jury found out that I never committed any crimes through testimony. The jury deliberated and came back with a Not Guilty Verdict within 30 minutes. The harassment continued, I was arrested two more times by my former department at gun point as they eaglly waited for the right opportunity to take my life. I took my case before the court and within 10 minutes I was acquitted by the judge. I was arrested a third time at gunpoint for child abuse. The prosecutor conducted a thorough investigation and threw the case out NO PROS. I was a highly decorated Broward sheriff deputy receiving the Gold Cross Award, Silver Cross Award and named two-time deputy of the month 1997 & 1999. Police officers have a great story to tell however, some of us have a very extraordinary story that will captivate the audiences attention because of life experiences. I wanted to address issues that our Black brother and sisters are faced with, the insensible killing by Law Enforcement Officials. I grew up in poverty and raised by my mother there was stabbing, Cutting and she was shot by my father who served 8 years in prison. I remember at the age of 8 or 9, the cops pulling me away from the madness after my mom and dad just finished cutting each other up and calming me down by talking to me about being a police officer. I still love Law Enforcement Officials because they put their lives on the line each and every day to protect the people of society. However, I also believe in Transparency and Accountability but I'm very Optimistic that things will change when the right person is in Leadership. . I felt like a TON of weights was lifted off of me the date you said "Raymond, Tom and I will fight with you until the end". Please read my Book titled I'm Still Standing by Raymond Hicks.
I am a VA Police "lamplighter". Having reported the VA on numerous violations of law, policy, abuse of authority, and common sense. Simply put, those of us who had banded together across the country had run out of options. Every oversight organization including the Office of Special Council, Merit System Protection Board, VA's Office of Inspector General and the Federal Labor Relations authority had either turned their backs on us, or failed to effectively respond to their own office's determinations of wrongdoing. Whistleblower Of America was literally our last resort, and is the organization that got all of us traction before Congress. Without WoA, our outcry would still be silenced.
With over 45 years as a medical center investigator, I have had the opportunity to spend thousands of hours with brave whistleblowers who brought forth allegations of wrongdoing.
Often, these employees met with great resistance from their managers and at times even coworkers for their courages actions. The simple reality is that employees in this situation need help, guidance, encouragement and support for what they are about to engage in. Whistleblowers of America supplies what is needed and thank goodness for them. I strongly advise all potential and current whistleblowers to reach out to them.
1. A twice vindicated human rights and national security whistleblower (at the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and as a professor at the Pentagon's National Defense University), I know well the costs -- and in particular. the professional isolation -- that can come from speaking truth to power. Even giving three Congressional Disclosures to the Intelligence Community Office of Inspector General (where I was specifically told my disclosures were explosive inside the silent service) failed to bring gross violators of rule, regulation and law to court, or even to heel.
2. As one of the first truth tellers to speak out against the actions of NSA/CIA leaker Edward Snowden, I was soon dismayed with how many others in our community sat on the sidelines, or worse, defended the ersatz Snowden, now a citizen of Vladimir Putin's Russia. WoA stood out among those in national whistleblower leadership, by not making individual actions of conscience the fulcrum for whether or not they support you or your disclosures. Even among the good guys, that kind of prophetic professionalism can be all too rare. Thank you!
Whistleblowers of America (WoA) has provided me and others valuable support and resources to effectively navigate toxic retaliation tactics perpetrated against us by government and corporate bureaucracies when we exposed their abuse and misconduct that has been harmful to service recipients, employees or the general public. Specifically, WoA offers certified peer-to-peer assistance which is essential to those who 'speak truth to power,' as follows: To help better understand the whistleblower process and reprisal schemes; develop a strategy and network of support; and resources for self-care, resilience building, and legal aid. This kind of backing from their competent and dedicated staff is critical, so you don't have to do it alone which helps maintain hope, as well as mental and emotional stability. I highly recommend WoA and the service they facilitate.
As a disabled veteran with a myriad of physical conditions it is often difficult to find a place to fit in. Whistleblowers of America, Jackie Garrick, has welcomed me with open arms. My skills are challenged and I have been given an opportunity to once again serve not only my country but my community. Self-worth is difficult to come by for our disabled brothers and sisters, however, Jackie as a veteran herself, manages to provide both the structure and the free space to realize my potential.
Connecting with other whistleblowers who understand what it is like to be a victim of retaliation is validating and helps healing. Resilience is in finding peers who are part of the same network. It's powerful to have a voice and and advocate! Whistleblowers of America is that kind of recovery, advocacy, and prevention group.