tyejohn

money

easy one first: there was never a golden age of being a whistleblower. power and self-interest have always overcome the rule of law sometimes.

I was a whistleblower, reporting (still ongoing today) 4th Amendment violations by the NSA, without leaking classified information.

Well my business card says i'm "founder + executive director" of whistleblower aid.

Yes, it's kinda lawyerly. I manage both the legal work and the organizational development for whistleblower aid. I love my work because i get to make a difference in my client's lives, and hopefully on some policy issues too.

but being a lawyer can obviously be stressful. i feel like i have to become an "actor" playing a "role" -- which is to be the person that my clients need me to be. Like, maybe i feel bad one day, but i have to find a way to project the right attitude if we're meeting with opposing counsel.

Someone can be a leaker without being a whistleblower, if they disclose classified information that doesn't expose government lawbreaking or misconduct