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[The Truth-Telling Project ran between 2004-2005.]
About the Truth-Telling Project:
Statement from Daniel Ellsberg
The Truth-Telling Project encourages whistleblowing in the national
interest. It urges current and recently retired government officials to reveal
the truth to Congress and the public about governmental wrongdoing, lies and
cover-up. It aims to change the norms and practices that sustain the cult
of secrecy, and to de-legitimize silence that costs lives.
It is becoming increasingly clear that a dominant practice of the Bush administration
is cover-up, on urgent matters of life and death. Cover-up of the real motives
for the war and of the foreseeable costs and problems of the occupation. Cover-up
of Presidential inattention before 9-11 to warnings of imminent attacks by
Al Qaeda. Above all, concealment of the judgment of the Administration’s
own counter-terrorism chiefs that war in Iraq is a disaster for the war on
terrorism.
There are surely hundreds if not thousands of officials within the Bush administration
who know about these and other cover-ups and the dangers they conceal, but
who have not spoken out. I am now leading an effort, called the Truth-Telling
Project, to encourage such insiders to go to Congress and the press and tell
the truth, with documents.
I believe we are in a national crisis, which justifies and requires acts of
unauthorized truth-telling. I am calling for such patriotic whistle-blowing
to take place right now.
I am devoting myself full-time to encouraging patriotic revelation of the
lies, cover-ups, and abuses of the Bush administration. The Truth-Telling
Project aims to reach current insiders, as well as journalists, lawyers, lawmakers,
and the American public with a message transcending party or administration:
Truth-telling to Congress and the public is not disloyal in America: it is
an expression of the higher loyalty officials owe to the Constitution, the
rule of law, and the sovereign public. It is a courageous, patriotic, and
effective way to serve our country. The time to speak out is now.
—Daniel Ellsberg, August 2004