Gianforte Announces Whistleblower Protection Component to Proposed Office of Government Accountability

Press Release

In the wake of news reports and state employees stepping forward, Bozeman businessman and tech entrepreneur Greg Gianforte announced his plan to help protect whistleblowers in state government once he is elected governor.

Gianforte says Montana's state employees need to be protected, and encouraged to highlight mismanagement or opportunities for improvement in state government.

GIANFORTE: "We have great state employees here in Montana. And when they shine a light on corruption and mismanagement in state government, they should be put on a pedestal- not kicked to the curb. That's why I think it is vital that we implement a whistle blower protection plan once I'm elected governor."

Multiple former auditors from the Department of Health and Human Services, including the former Audit Bureau Chief, have come forward to claim that they were fired or demoted for doing their job. Just this week, a former bureau chief from the Department of Commerce came forward saying she had been demoted and had her pay cut because she questioned agency decisions. It has also been revealed that the Bullock Administration paid out nearly $1 million to keep whistleblowers quiet.

Aside from cracking down on abuses by state officials and bringing integrity to state contracts, Gianforte says the purpose of the Office of Government Accountability (OGA) will also be to create "a culture of customer service rather than enforcement" when dealing with Montana citizens. Click here to read Gianforte's full whistleblower protection policy proposal.

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