Clinton School of Public Service Co-hosts Free Whistleblower Summit Lecture Series at Clinton Presidential Library, April 21-23
Historic event coincides with State Reps. Vivian Flowers and Kenneth Ferguson's proclamation supporting National Whistleblower Appreciation Day
Little Rock, Ark-- On April 21-23 The University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service will co-host free lectures and events open to the public that celebrate the important role of whistleblowers and their advocates. The events, which will take place at the Clinton Presidential Library and other nearby locations, are cosponsored by The Whistleblower Summit for Civil & Human Rights; a Washington, D.C.-based organization that will host its fifth annual event on Capitol Hill in July. The Arkansas mini-conference is the first in a series of smaller conferences the organization intends to host outside of the District of Columbia.
Conference organizer Michael McCray, a native Arkansan who moved to Washington, D.C. with the Clinton administration, says his hometown was selected to host the lecture series for a number of reasons including that its state legislature is expected to be the first to support a National Whistleblower Appreciation Day on July 30. State Reps. Vivian Flowers and Ken Ferguson will introduce their proclamation during a 9 a.m. April 22 press conference at the Clinton Presidential Center. The press conference will also address the Flint, Michigan water contamination crisis. Other participants in the conference include McCray, Stephen Kohn of the National Whistleblower Center, Carlton Winfrey, who covers politics for the Detroit Free Press and Marcel Reid, Whistleblower Liaison for the Pacifica Radio Network.
"There is no Free Press without confidential sources. There can be no Congressional Oversight without government informants. Whistleblowers are the 'Fifth Estate' protecting freedom, liberty and Democracy."
--Michael McCray, Esq., CPA (inactive)
"The Whistleblower
Summit -
is unique because it combines legislative advocacy, public policy discussions
with community and social events. During the conference we have panel
discussions, press conferences, award presentations, receptions,
luncheon/dinner, movie night, book signings, etc. Senator John Boozman was
previously honored with a "Pillar Award" at the Whistleblower Summit - on Capitol
Hill in 2014 for supporting criminal prosecutions following the revelations
about wrongdoing and "cooking the books" within the Veteran's Administration.
"We are in the midst of a campaign to designate July 30th as National Whistleblower Appreciation Day. While the usage of the term "whistleblower" in popular culture began in the 1970s around the Vietnam War--the first law the provided protections to citizens (whistleblowers) who report abuses of the public trust was passed by the Continental Congress on July 30th, 1778. Arkansas State Representatives Vivian Flowers and Ken Ferguson are introducing a proclamation or resolution to support that holiday--Arkansas could be the first State Legislature to support National Whistleblower Appreciation Day."
The event opens with a public tour of Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site on April 21 at 1:00 pm followed be a Welcome Reception at the Hearne Fine Art Gallery, 1001 Wright Ave. from 5:30 to 8:30 pm sponsored by Gene McKissic & Associates, Law Firm. Among the other events is a April 22 movie night in which the documentary "The Seven Five" will be shown with a discussion led by (Ret) U.S. Chief Deputy Marshall Matthew Fogg. Movie night will take place from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Hearne Fine Art Gallery, 1001 Wright Ave. April 23, there will be a book signing and discussion group from 10 a.m. to noon at Pyramid Book Store, 1001 Wright Ave., Suite C. Authors participating in the signing include Michael McCray and Marcel Reid ("ACORN 8: Race, Power & Politics"), Stephen W. Kohn ("The Whistleblower's Handbook"), Tom Devine ("Corporate Whistleblowers Survival Guide") and Michael Volpe (The Definitive Dossier on PTSD in Whistleblowers).
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