FBI Raids Office Responsible for Protecting Federal Workers Civil Rights

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)
The FBI is poring over computer records and documents seized in raids Tuesday on the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) and at the home of Special Counsel Scott Bloch. Instead of enforcing civil rights and whistleblower protections for federal workers, Bloch turned the OSC into "a launching pad for attacks on civil and workers' rights," according to Hans Johnson, President of Washington D.C.'s Pride At Work (PAW) chapter, which in March initiated a "Blow the whistle on Bloch" campaign. "The Office of Special Counsel is supposed to be the refuge for workers who are facing discrimination on the job," said Johnson. "We hope this badly needed investigation by the FBI will reign in this office of critical importance, and begin the process of reinstating protections for workers on the basis of many categories including sexual orientation." OSC employees said that Tuesday's FBI searches "appeared focused on alleged obstruction of justice by Mr. Bloch during the course of a 2006 inquiry into his conduct in office," according to DC PAW. Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (VA) called on Bloch to resign Wednesday.
- includes reporting by Doug Cunningham, Workers Independent News