Part 2

In this episode of Whistleblower of the Week, host Jane Turner continues her interview with former FBI counterintelligence agent Jonathan Buma. Buma became a whistleblower after seeing what he calls a serious breakdown of integrity inside the Bureau, even though its motto is “fidelity, bravery, integrity.”

Listen to the podcast on WNN or on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon. Subscribe on your favorite platform!

Part 1

In this episode of Whistleblower of the Week, host Jane Turner talks with former FBI counterintelligence agent Jonathan Buma. Buma became a whistleblower after seeing what he calls a serious breakdown of integrity inside the Bureau, even though its motto is “fidelity, bravery, integrity.”

Buma says he tried to hold security briefings to warn that the president’s personal attorney had been compromised, and to let the attorney know the Bureau was watching the threat. However, FBI leaders would not reach out to any high-level people involved. Buma says managers were afraid of looking politically biased, interfering in politics, or breaking constitutional rules. He believes this hesitation let Russia take advantage of weaknesses and led to what he calls “the greatest counterintelligence failure in history.”

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In this second part of Whistleblower of the Week, host and former FBI agent Jane Turner continues her conversation with NSA whistleblower Thomas Drake, diving deeper into the aftermath of his disclosures and the personal cost of exposing secret surveillance programs.

Drake explains how, after raising concerns through official channels, he was met with retaliation, isolation, and escalating pressure from within the intelligence community. As the government built a criminal case against him, he faced a 2010 Espionage Act indictment that threatened decades in prison. Drake details the emotional toll of the investigation, the raid on his home, and the collapse of the case when all felony charges were ultimately dropped.

Despite losing his job, pension, and financial security, Drake reflects on why he remained committed to telling the truth—and why defending the Constitution mattered more than the consequences. Part 2 explores the broader implications of his ordeal, the dangers of unchecked surveillance, and the importance of whistleblowers in a democracy.

Listen now on WNN, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Remember to subscribe on your favorite platform!

Listen to the podcast on WNN or on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon. Subscribe on your favorite platform!

In this week’s Whistleblower of the Week podcast, host and FBI whistleblower Jane Turner talks with NSA whistleblower Thomas Drake in a conversation recorded on July 4th. Turner calls Drake’s journey “a testament to the challenges faced by whistleblowers in the intelligence community,” and says his story shows why stronger protections are needed and stands as a lasting symbol of courage.

Drake talks about his early life, growing up in a military family, and being around a national security culture from a young age. Drake recalls joining the Air Force in 1979, where he worked as a cryptologic linguist and underwent SERE training, including waterboarding. This experience shaped his views on lawful and unlawful orders. He later worked at the CIA and as a government contractor. At the NSA, he became an internal whistleblower about the expensive Minstrel program and lost his job after refusing to commit fraud.

In 2001, Drake began a senior leadership role at the NSA on his first day, September 11th. He says the intelligence system had been “blinking red” and explains that the response after 9/11 made him feel he had to speak out.

Listen now on WNN, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Remember to subscribe on your favorite platform! And tune in next week for part 2.

Listen to the podcast on WNN or on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon. Subscribe on your favorite platform!

This week on Whistleblower of the Week, former Federal Air Marshal Robert MacLean joins host Jane Turner to share his story of exposing safety risks within the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

MacLean recounts how his 2003 disclosure about air marshals being pulled from long-distance flights led to years of retaliation, including termination, legal battles, and attempts to discredit him. Despite the personal toll, he continues to push for transparency and the protection of those who speak out.

Listen now to hear how one whistleblower’s pursuit of justice sheds light on the challenges of reforming government agencies—and the enduring importance of the First Amendment.

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This week on Whistleblower of the Week, Caroline Hunt-Matthes, a former United Nations investigator whose efforts to expose sexual exploitation and misconduct sparked a 15-year legal battle—the longest in UN history. Speaking with guest hosts, Agnes Jonsson and Greta Leeb, she reveals the systemic failures, retaliation, and culture of silence that continue to plague the UN’s internal justice system. Hunt-Matthes also discusses her new book, We the People: The United Nations Whistleblowers, and calls for urgent reforms to protect those who dare to speak out.

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In this episode of Whistleblower of the Week, host Jane Turner speaks with former FBI Special Agent Emily Fertitta, who breaks her silence on the retaliation she and her husband, Valentine “Val” Fertitta—a decorated Marine Corps officer and FBI agent—have endured for exposing misconduct inside the Bureau. From denied promotions and mental health evaluations to “national security” investigations and coerced interrogations, Emily shares their harrowing fight for justice in the face of relentless retaliation. Their story is a powerful warning about what happens when whistleblower protections are ignored, and national security is weaponized to
silence dissent.

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Leading US whistleblower attorney Stephen M. Kohn joins host Jane Turner on this episode of Whistleblower of the Week. Kohn discusses the National Whistleblower Center’s (NWC) participation in the 11th Conference of States Parties (CoSP) to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, emphasizing the urgency of bolstering whistleblower laws worldwide. The NWC is advocating for international support of NWC’s proposal to promote whistleblower protection and awards worldwide. Kohn states that the momentum built on the fight against corruption must not be lost with the shift in US enforcement policy.

Want to support Stephen and National Whistleblower Center’s fight against corruption? Endorse the NWC proposal here and donate here.

Listen to the podcast on WNN or on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon. Subscribe on your favorite platform!