Exclusive Marist Poll: Overwhelming Public Support Among Likely Voters For Increased Whistleblower Protections

In September, Marist (an A+ rated pollster) conducted a survey of American adults on behalf of Whistleblower Network News. The survey contained three questions regarding strengthening protections for whistleblowers. The results of the poll demonstrate that the American public unequivocally supports increased whistleblower protections. This overwhelming support is true for likely voters and across all demographics.

Question 1: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: There should be stronger legal protections from harm for whistleblowers who are federal employees who report fraud in government programs?

Americans overwhelmingly support stronger protections for federal whistleblowers. Notably, despite the current administration’s attacks on federal whistleblowers, this support for stronger protections remains high across political party lines.

Question 2: Do you think passing stronger laws that protect employees who report corporate fraud should be an immediate priority for Congress, a priority but not an immediate one, or do you think this should not be a priority at all?

An overwhelming majority of the American public believes Congress must prioritize stronger whistleblower protections for corporate employees. Additionally, more than a quarter of Americans believe these protections should be an immediate priority for Congress. Once again, these results remain fairly steady across party identification.

“This poll clearly demonstrates that in the eyes of the American people, whistleblowers are no longer the ‘skunks at the picnic.’ Americans want their elected leaders to protect government and corporate employees who expose fraud,” said whistleblower attorney Stephen M. Kohn, partner at Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto and contributing editor of Whistleblower Network News.

Question 3: If a candidate for Congress supports strengthening laws that protect employees who report corporate fraud, would you be more likely to vote for them, less likely, or would that not have an impact on your vote?

The poll concluded that 44% of likely voters say they are more likely to vote for a Congressional candidate who supports stronger whistleblower laws for corporate employees. In contrast, only 3% of voters would be less likely to vote for such a candidate. These numbers remain fairly consistent across all regions of the country.

“The findings make clear that Americans want more help for whistleblowers, either coming out of the Administration or from Congress. Many likely voters are looking for political candidates who will boldly support whistleblower protections,” Kohn added.

The polling results are notable data points that support the causes of whistleblowers and whistleblower advocates. It remains to be seen whether members of Congress and Congressional candidates will respond accordingly. Whistleblower Network News will provide continued coverage and analysis of the polling results throughout the week.