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Spooks, Whistleblowers and Fall Guys Continued from page 24 And for all of these FAA people who coop- _ problems in the system." erate, there are different ways they can be No kidding. The biggest problem seems during the hearing, two more air disasters rewarded. So the fellow who's trying to do __to be to figure out who will watch the occur; in one of them, over a hundred peo- his job, and insists upon doing it, suffers watchers. How can government agencies ple are killed. They were due to problems _ retaliation. But for all those who play the remain accountable to the citizens rather that I was identifying, and the crashes game, there are various rewards that they _ than so-called special interest and industry occurred in my area of responsibility. get. groups? They were due to the same problems that I "Then you have the incompetents in the Another obvious parallel in the United was bringing out and that FAA manage- FAA. You get someone at management _ States is the relationship between the Food ment was fraudulently denying existed. It level. He doesn't want to fight with indus- and Drug Administration (FDA) which is makes for a helluva story." try. First of all, he's not competent to take supposed to be a public guardian of health, And what are the reasons for the corrup- them on. The point of an inspector is to and the pharmaceutical industry which is tion? Were airline officials just paying off — bring out unlawful or unsafe practices. The involved in the same kind of bribery, cor- FAA top officials? What is the motivation management people don't want to hear this. _rupt practices and 'revolving door' policies for these continuing crimes, cover-ups and Reports are made and destroyed. If an of agency employees and industry execu- air safety violations? inspector persists, there are many ways that tives. The Securities Exchange Commiss- "There are several reasons," Stich he can be retaliated against—if he doesn't ion (SEC) and the so-called securities explained. "One, the revolving door syn- get the message. industry are another case in point. drome which is in many government agen- "The FAA came into being in 1958 from So what can be done to break the chains cies. Government employees, usually man- the Civil Aeronautic Association after a of corruption? agement, are placating industry, doing any- United Airlines aircraft rammed into a "We could clean out the Justice thing they can to get brownie points so that TWA airliner over the Grand Canyon. Department for one thing and provide some when they leave government service they That received so much publicity that type of workable solution where inspectors get high-paying jobs in industry. Congress legislated the Federal Aviation or government agents could get protection "Then, of course, there's pressure on the Act of 1958. I went with the FAA shortly if they are being retaliated against," Stich FAA from members in Congress who are _ thereafter. The function of the FAA is to commented. getting healthy contributions from industry. promote safety and to issue rules and regu- Isn't that what the Whistleblower Act is And when that pressure is put on the top of lations and have inspectors to see that all about? the FAA, it goes all the way down the line. they're carried out. But there are many "It doesn't work for those who are report- problems in the system." No kidding. The biggest problem seems to be to figure out who will watch the watchers. How can government agencies remain accountable to the citizens rather than so-called special interest and industry groups? Another obvious parallel in the United States is the relationship between the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which is supposed to be a public guardian of health, and the pharmaceutical industry which is involved in the same kind of bribery, cor- rupt practices and 'revolving door' policies of agency employees and industry execu- tives. The Securities Exchange Commiss- ion (SEC) and the so-called securities industry are another case in point. So what can be done to break the chains of corruption? "We could clean out the Justice Department for one thing and provide some type of workable solution where inspectors or government agents could get protection if they are being retaliated against," Stich commented. Isn't that what the Whistleblower Act is all about? "It doesn't work for those who are report- NEXUS - 85 AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 1998