During the criminal trial, the government was permitted to enter into evidence that, by my refusing a settlement that would have been enough to pay the child support; I was guilty of willful failure to pay my child support. They even claimed I would not settle, because I would have to pay child support. Oddly the AUSA in the FAA case, argued the opposit, that I had brought up the need to pay my child support and not them.
I was not permitted by the court to tell the jury that the child support was paid by my family. And I was not permitted to discuss why I no longer was working for the FAA.
Seem kind of odd, not if you understand the politics of even the judicial branch of the government. U.S. District judges are appointed by the president usually because of party favors. These judges are also looking for promotions to the U.S Court of Appeals or even Supreme Court appointments. Not even God can help you if you get a judge that was appointed by the party you just embarrassed.
In my case I had Judge William J Zloch, the chief judge for the Southern District of Florida appointed by a Republican. It was my bad luck that a Republican, Bush, was new to office and Zloch was looking for a promotion.
Having Judge Zloch was no coincidence, because he also was the presiding judge over the Value Jet case. As Chief Judge for the district he gets to assign the cases. I was also the Whistle Blower in that case that reported the wiring problems with the aircraft used on flight 592 one week prior to the crash. Judge Zloch had just sent two people to prison ruling the accident was the oxygen canisters they had put on the aircraft and not the wiring problem as I had reported.
My case is under its final appeal in the Eleventh Circuit and I will likely lose, because of the actions of my court appointed lawyer during the trial.
To date, I lost well over $1,000,000 in compensations had I been able to stay and retire, and my career in aviation and as a civil servant was completely destroyed. I went to prison and have no decent job prospects with a $30,000 support debt which accrued during my prison term that I must pay or go to prison again.
After all that has happened to me, I can’t say that I have not had second thoughts about whistle blowing. What if I just let the killing continue? It is likely that this will kill me.
I would never advise a government employee to blow the whistle. This is a very personal decision. It is like I said; you are laying your career and your life down on a grenade to protect the lives of people you don’t even know.
The FAA manager was not lying or wrong when he said, “You have a good job here, and your wife has a good job [at an FAA facility in Dallas]. I’d hate to see you jeopardize yours and her careers trying to take down a couple of losers.”
Government Whistle Blowers do risk all for no reward and are soon forgotten.
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