FBI Whistleblower, Attorney Unite to Tell the Story of National Whistleblower Day

On July 30, the final day of this year’s National Whistleblower Day celebration, advocates Stephen M. Kohn and Jane Turner will join to tell the story behind National Whistleblower Appreciation Day.

Together, the two will reflect on the history of whistleblowing in the United States and the path laid forth for today’s whistleblowers by the founders of this country.

“To foresee the future, we must look into the past,” Turner said.

Turner, current host of the Whistleblower of the Week Podcast, has been an advocate for whistleblowers since she blew the whistle herself during her time at the FBI. Turner led the FBI’s highly successful programs combating crimes against women and child sex crime victims on North Dakota Indian Reservations and was retaliated against when she exposed weaknesses in the program. Turner also won her retaliation case after reporting property theft at the 9/11 crime scene, prevailing under the FBI Whistleblower Protection Act.

In the past, this NWD segment has included the story of the first whistleblowers, the significance of July 30th, the evolution of modern qui tam laws over time, and a call to action for increased whistleblower protections.

“Recognizing whistleblowers and understanding how central whistleblower protections are to American values is so important, now more than ever,” said Siri Nelson, Executive Director at the National Whistleblower Center. “It is such an honor to have this story told every year by Stephen Kohn, the man who discovered it, and to continue reminding the public that above all – our founding fathers believed it was a duty to speak up about wrongdoing.”

Kohn, a highly decorated whistleblower attorney, is a partner at Kohn, Kohn, & Colapinto LLP in Washington, D.C. Kohn is also the Chairman of the Board at the National Whistleblower Center, which he founded in 1988. Kohn is the author of multiple whistleblower-related publications, including The New Whistleblower’s Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Doing What’s Right and Protecting Yourself.

“The courage of America’s first whistleblowers is an inspiration and a lesson in the meaning of the First Amendment and freedom of speech in a democracy,” Kohn said.

With the goal of solidifying National Whistleblower Day as a federally recognized day of observance, Turner and Kohn will outline the need for government support.

“The time has now come for both houses and President Biden to enact a National Whistleblower Day on July 30,” Turner said. “It is long past due to honor truth-tellers and people of conscience. Honor these courageous individuals who make this nation and world a far better place in which to live.”

The discussion, “The Story of National Whistleblower Day,” will take place on Saturday, July 30th, at 2:00pm eastern. Registration for the virtual event is free and can be found online.