Rand Paul Defends Whistleblower

Last Wednesday, Senator Rand Paul objected to a unanimous consent request by Democratic Senator Mazie Hirono (HI) to move a bill expressing the “Sense of the Senate” regarding whistleblowers. Senator Paul did this to seek a vote on his Whistleblower Protection Act (S. 2798).

Senator Paul’s bill extends federal whistleblower protection laws to federal contractors and applies retroactively so it covers Edward Snowden. The bill also makes clear that the whistleblowing does not affect the Sixth Amendment right to confront one’s accusers, so whistleblowers would still be required to testify in a criminal or civil trial. The last part was added to address those claiming that President Trump does not have the right to face his “whistleblower.”

As Senator Paul points out, many of those attacking him and others for daring to suggest that Donald Trump has the same rights to face his accusers as every other American have called for Snowden’s imprisonment or even execution.

You can see video of Senator Paul’s remarks on the Senate floor here.

You can see Senator Paul talk about the subject on Fox News—an interview that mentions Senator Paul and C4L Chairman Ron Paul’s speeches at our 2015 LPAC conference—here.

Read Senator Paul’s op-ed on whistleblowers in The Hill here.