FBI Investigates Veteran's Affairs Nurse

[FreeChile]

I quite don't know what to make of this case. What you do all think aobut it? Is it a case of leading the witness, of government intimidation, of system malfunction, or what?

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/03/02/148237

Here's what I've summarized from it.

The lady wants a public apology and policy directives, among other things. Is she entitled to it? Will she get it?

1. Laura, a 15 years Veteran’s Affairs nurse, wrote a letter critical of the government to her local paper, The Alibi, to Senator Bingaman, and to Senator Domenici.

2. The Alibi published the letter.

3. Laura’s worker’s union informed her that she had been reported up through Veteran’s Affairs channels to the FBI, as a direct response to the publication of her letter.

4. Laura was told that her investigation was not personal. It was simply that her letter came up in a search engine and it was sent up.

5. Information security representatives impounded her computer, claiming to be investigating a misuse of government equipment.

6. Laura’s workstation was returned within a day.

7. Laura wrote to Mel Hooker, the Chief of Human Resources Management Service, requesting an explanation.

8. Mr. Hooker wrote a memo saying that they have, bound by law, to investigate and pursue any act which potentially represents sedition. Here’s what he said:

“In your letter to the editor of the weekly Alibi,” the memo says, “you declared yourself a V.A. nurse and publicly declared the government, which employs you, to have tragically misplaced priorities and criminal negligence and advocated ‘act forcefully to remove a government administration playing games of smoke and mirrors and vicious deceit.’ The agency is bound by law to investigate and pursue any act, which potentially represents sedition. You are reminded that government equipment is just that, and the government may apprehend, investigate use or permit the use of such at its discretion and direction. Signed, Mel Hooker, Chief of Human Resources Management Service. “

9. Senator Bingaman has written to the secretary of the Veteran Affairs, saying that he would like -- he would like an investigation, and he would like some retraining of employees of Veteran Affairs.

[jj]

What else would you expect? Might makes right! You may not question! Just keep your nose down and do exactly what you're told, or else!

That's the present government, alright.

[Grammatron]

Any link to the letter?

[joe1347]

No link to the letter. But I just did a search on wiki for sedition and much to my surprise, the VA story was actually linked in the History section.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedition


So assuming that the letter passes the sedition test (doubtfull!). Is sedition still illegal in the USA? I found out that the US Sedition Act of 1918 was overturned. Are there others?

16 May, 1918
The U.S. Sedition Act

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
United States, Statutes at Large, Washington, D.C., 1918, Vol. XL, pp 553 ff.
A portion of the amendment to Section 3 of the Espionage Act of June 15, 1917.
The act was subsequently repealed in 1921.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


SECTION 3. Whoever, when the United
http://www.lib.byu.edu/~rdh/wwi/1918/usspy.html

[WildCat]

I quite don't know what to make of this case. What you do all think aobut it? Is it a case of leading the witness, of government intimidation, of system malfunction, or what?

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/03/02/148237

Here's what I've summarized from it.

The lady wants a public apology and policy directives, among other things. Is she entitled to it? Will she get it?

1. Laura, a 15 years Veteran’s Affairs nurse, wrote a letter critical of the government to her local paper, The Alibi, to Senator Bingaman, and to Senator Domenici.

2. The Alibi published the letter.

3. Laura’s worker’s union informed her that she had been reported up through Veteran’s Affairs channels to the FBI, as a direct response to the publication of her letter.

4. Laura was told that her investigation was not personal. It was simply that her letter came up in a search engine and it was sent up.

5. Information security representatives impounded her computer, claiming to be investigating a misuse of government equipment.

6. Laura’s workstation was returned within a day.

7. Laura wrote to Mel Hooker, the Chief of Human Resources Management Service, requesting an explanation.

8. Mr. Hooker wrote a memo saying that they have, bound by law, to investigate and pursue any act which potentially represents sedition. Here’s what he said:



9. Senator Bingaman has written to the secretary of the Veteran Affairs, saying that he would like -- he would like an investigation, and he would like some retraining of employees of Veteran Affairs.
1. Laura writes letter to newspaper.
2. Busybody bureaucrat supervisor w/ an ax to grind reports her to the FBI.
3. FBI must investigate the report, will undoubtedly not file charges.
4. Laura decides to publicize event to get her name in the news.

Much ado about nothing, IMHO.

[Manny]

Much ado about nothing, IMHO.I'm going to go with 'much ado about a little.' The supervisor does need to be slapped upside the head and informed that mid-level bureaucrats can't be using big words like "sedition." Perhaps accompanied by a stint at the VA office in Barrow, Alaska.

[jj]

Perhaps accompanied by a stint at the VA office in Barrow, Alaska.

Perhaps an assignment to an active base at Thule, Greenland, for a while? :)

[WildCat]

Perhaps accompanied by a stint at the VA office in Barrow, Alaska.

Perhaps an assignment to an active base at Thule, Greenland, for a while? :)

Both good suggestions. :eusa_dance:

[Babylon Sister]

The supervisor's memo suggests that the nurse identified herself as a government employee (VA nurse). I am also a government employee, and I can tell you that we are told over and over again in Ethics and Conduct training that this is not acceptable. By identifying herself as a government employee it could be construed that she is speaking for her government agency and that her statements reflect those of her agency.

Had she written the letter as a private citizen, there wouldn't be anything her supervisor could do about it. (Or if he did, she could file a greivence.)

[FreeChile]

Any link to the letter?
I tried locating it at the local paper on-line, but they don't seem to have archives of older issues. Of course, I did not try to register and log in. I think I found the paper by Googling.

[TragicMonkey]

FBI Investigates Veteran's Affairs Nurse

Who is this nurse, and why is she having affairs with veterans, and why is the FBI investigating her for it? Those men and women have served our country nobly, and deserve to have affairs with a nurse if they both want to, without the FBI butting in. The FBI can find their own nurses!

[FreeChile]

1. Laura writes letter to newspaper.
2. Busybody bureaucrat supervisor w/ an ax to grind reports her to the FBI.
3. FBI must investigate the report, will undoubtedly not file charges.
4. Laura decides to publicize event to get her name in the news.

Much ado about nothing, IMHO.
I am not so sure about your number 2. The thing about the search engine is unclear. During the interview, it does not say whether the FBI did this. If so, then the pressure may have come from above. I don't see how the VA would be involved in the use of such search engines. Of course, this pressumes the "search engine" is not a sorry-ass excuse given by the VA.

On number 4, it is also possible that Laura may have become afraid and insulted about the whole thing. She seems to be new to media influence like Democracy Now--not really meaning to single them out. Also, reading the transcript of the story, you get an uneasy bive from it from her interjections and unrelated comments. It appears that she is regurgitating some of the media.

I also get the feeling the Senator is putting some pressure on the VA by chastising them. He has probably already made the conclusion that it is the employee's fault.

[FreeChile]

Who is this nurse, and why is she having affairs with veterans, and why is the FBI investigating her for it? Those men and women have served our country nobly, and deserve to have affairs with a nurse if they both want to, without the FBI butting in. The FBI can find their own nurses!I knew that sexually coniving title would lure you in. You kill me Skull.

[FreeChile]

The supervisor's memo suggests that the nurse identified herself as a government employee (VA nurse). I am also a government employee, and I can tell you that we are told over and over again in Ethics and Conduct training that this is not acceptable. By identifying herself as a government employee it could be construed that she is speaking for her government agency and that her statements reflect those of her agency.

Had she written the letter as a private citizen, there wouldn't be anything her supervisor could do about it. (Or if he did, she could file a greivence.)
Yes, that is why even private firms have Public Relations departments and tell their employees to direct inquiries to those divisions. This is also partly why interviewees hardly even say what companies they work for. Instead, they may say "I work for a major so and so." However on the interview she also says that she was speaking as a private citizen, like Pat Robertson. This all depends on what the letter actually says.

[JamesDillon]

The supervisor's memo suggests that the nurse identified herself as a government employee (VA nurse). I am also a government employee, and I can tell you that we are told over and over again in Ethics and Conduct training that this is not acceptable. By identifying herself as a government employee it could be construed that she is speaking for her government agency and that her statements reflect those of her agency.

Had she written the letter as a private citizen, there wouldn't be anything her supervisor could do about it. (Or if he did, she could file a greivence.)

Fine, but that's grounds for, at most, a letter of reprimand, not an FBI investigation and allegations of "sedition."

[FreeChile]

What else would you expect? Might makes right! You may not question! Just keep your nose down and do exactly what you're told, or else!

That's the present government, alright.Any old dog knows that you don't byte the hand that feeds you. If you do, be willing to pay the price. This is not unique to the government--in spite of those whitleblower laws.

If anyone questions this, go right now and tell your boss what you really think--how ignorant you think he is. If you're self employed, put up a sign in your business telling your customers what you really think about them. Most people would have a problem doing these things.

[FreeChile]

Fine, but that's grounds for, at most, a letter of reprimand, not an FBI investigation and allegations of "sedition."My guess is that if it was initiated by the supervisor, his report to the FBI may have been really nasty.

[FreeChile]

Caca! How do I delete a post? Please don't answer this. I already know.

[a_unique_person]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/03/03/teacher.bush.ap/index.html



AURORA, Colorado (AP) -- About 150 high school students walked out of class to protest a decision to put a teacher on leave while they investigate remarks he made about President Bush in class, including that some people compare Bush to Adolf Hitler.
The protest came Thursday as administrators began investigating whether Overland High School teacher Jay Bennish violated a policy requiring balancing viewpoints in the classroom, Cherry Creek School District spokeswoman Tustin Amole said.
"It was peaceful. The students yelled, but there was no fighting," Amole said. "Most of them did return to class."

[FreeChile]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/03/03/teacher.bush.ap/index.htmlWhat connection do you find between that story and this "FBI Investigates Veteran's Affairs Nurse" thread?

[fishbob]

I'm going to go with 'much ado about a little.' The supervisor does need to be slapped upside the head and informed that mid-level bureaucrats can't be using big words like "sedition." Perhaps accompanied by a stint at the VA office in Barrow, Alaska.
There is no VA office in Barrow, Alaska - but I hear that there is an opening for a sewage lagoon floater retrievel specialist.

[Mephisto]

I'm going to go with 'much ado about a little.' The supervisor does need to be slapped upside the head and informed that mid-level bureaucrats can't be using big words like "sedition." Perhaps accompanied by a stint at the VA office in Barrow, Alaska.

*LOL* Or the VA office in Tikrit.

I've spoken to a few VA nurses and two of them felt they were getting a worse rap (many VA facilities are overcrowded or lacking the latest medical technologies) than usual because of VA cutbacks.

Of course she's treated as a whistleblower, and of course her supervisor should suffer for being a busybody, but that seems to be the norm these days. Trivialize it, blame the victim, turn it around and ask why she doesn't support the troops, the war on terror, . . .

[jj]

Any old dog knows that you don't byte the hand that feeds you. If you do, be willing to pay the price. This is not unique to the government--in spite of those whitleblower laws.


Sorry, dude, excepting some military issues (which I must concede) the government is in an unique position here. An employer can fire you, etc, but can't generally send you to jail or get a government official to harrass you without recourse.


If anyone questions this, go right now and tell your boss what you really think--how ignorant you think he is. If you're self employed, put up a sign in your business telling your customers what you really think about them. Most people would have a problem doing these things.

Best solution: Don't have an ignorant boss. I don't have an ignorant boss. Do you? :D

[FreeChile]

Best solution: Don't have an ignorant boss. I don't have an ignorant boss. Do you? :DWas it your choice to be so fortunate?

[rwguinn]

Sorry, dude, excepting some military issues (which I must concede) the government is in an unique position here. An employer can fire you, etc, but can't generally send you to jail or get a government official to harrass you without recourse.


Best solution: Don't have an ignorant boss. I don't have an ignorant boss. Do you? :D

IF you tell your boss that you are going to "act forcefully to remove (n) ... administration playing games of smoke and mirrors and vicious deceit" you could find yourself interviewing with an officer of the law...
it is the "Act Forcefuly" part that generates the official interest....

[Babylon Sister]

Fine, but that's grounds for, at most, a letter of reprimand, not an FBI investigation and allegations of "sedition."

Agree. The sedition charges make me wonder if something more was/is going on. (maybe because Bush is so paranoid about protesters?)

A vey similar situation happened to a friend of mine 10-15 years ago. She only received a letter of reprimand.

[WildCat]

Agree. The sedition charges make me wonder if something more was/is going on. (maybe because Bush is so paranoid about protesters?)

A vey similar situation happened to a friend of mine 10-15 years ago. She only received a letter of reprimand.
Babylon Sister, shake it!


I've always wanted to say that... :D