“Roan @ The Gates” is new play about a whistleblower and how her actions impact her marriage. The play just ended a run at Luna Stage in West Orange, New Jersey
Outspoken civil rights attorney Nat and her NSA analyst wife Roan seem to have it all together. But when their personal life collides with national security, it launches a beautiful, high-stakes adventure that illuminates the cost of secrecy.
In the real world, whistleblowers were credited last week with reporting concerns to Congress about a White House plan to transfer nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia.
From an interim report from House Committee on Oversight and Reform:
The whistleblowers who came forward have expressed significant concerns about the potential procedural and legal violations connected with rushing through a plan to transfer nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia. They have warned of conflicts of interest among top White House advisers that could implicate federal criminal statutes. They have also warned about a working environment inside the White House marked by chaos, dysfunction, and backbiting.
The whistleblowers said political appointees ignored repeated directives from White House ethics advisors, according to the report. In addition, the insiders provided names, dates and information from correspondence. But they also said they fear reprisals, according to the report.
Even though these disclosures to Congress are protected by law, every whistleblower who spoke with Committee staff expressed significant concern about how their disclosures could lead to political reprisal, retribution, or professional setbacks.
However, they stated that they felt compelled to convey their profound concern with the abnormal acts they witnessed inside the White House, including the disregard of advice from career officials, who repeatedly warned about the potential dangers of proceeding with such a sensitive proposal without full consideration and review.
This NBC news story about the report and others notes that the White House did not respond to requests for comment.
Read the complete report on the committee website.
