Kathianne
08-25-2015, 05:12 AM
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/08/24/critic-slam-new-speech-rules-at-state-department-as-path-to-self-censorship/
Critics say new State Department guidelines meant to 'chill' employee speech
Published August 24, 2015
Tougher State Department rules governing federal workers' speech -- covering everything from their congressional testimony to tweets -- have critics warning of a chilling effect that could be a way to put officials on notice as Congress probes the Benghazi attack and Hillary Clinton email scandal.
“Boy, does this smell like bad fish,” said Peter Van Buren, an ex-foreign service officer who was squeezed out of his job in 2012 after he published a book and a personal blog critical of the State Department’s Iraq reconstruction efforts.
“This does seem kind of coincidental that these new rules, after three years, have been issued in the same time frame as the Hillary Clinton [email] situation ... and looking forward to [Benghazi] hearings in October,” he told FoxNews.com. “It looks like they are trying to chill the speech of their employees.”
The 19-page revised rules, first reported by the blog Diplopundit (http://diplopundit.net/2015/08/17/state-dept-releases-new-3-fam-4170-aka-the-stop-the-next-peter-van-buren-regulation/), were issued on July 27 and include three major changes or clarifications, critics say, that could clamp down on government workers’ speech. They include specific wording about congressional testimony, wait times for review of blog posts and social media like tweets, and additional restrictions on what material can be published in a personal capacity by either current or former employees.
“It’s an absolute overreach,” Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, told The Heritage Foundation's Daily Signal. (http://dailysignal.com/2015/08/19/state-department-clamps-down-on-speaking-to-congress-or-press/)
...
But the State Department maintained the changes are meant to help, not hinder, employees speaking publicly. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the revisions “are more protective of employee speech as they establish a higher bar for limiting employees’ writing or speaking in their personal capacity, while also recognizing changing technologies in communication, such as social media.”
He said the revisions streamline the review process and remind employees about existing rules regarding the disclosure of classified and other protected information.
“The revisions do not change any procedures with regard to employee testimony before the courts or Congress,” Toner added.
Still, the guidelines spell out that testimony from current or former employees must go through a review process, whether they are speaking in an official capacity or as a private citizen. While every agency requires some kind of pre-clearance before its employees speak on matters of official concern, the State Department “already has the tightest rules ever,” in terms of free speech, Van Buren said.
“[These revisions] are important in what they do to employees, particularly potential whistleblowers, before they have spoken,” Van Buren said. “The real key here is anyone who is sitting here waiting out a decision to blow the whistle is going to see this and say, I don’t have a freaking chance.”
...
Critics say new State Department guidelines meant to 'chill' employee speech
Published August 24, 2015
Tougher State Department rules governing federal workers' speech -- covering everything from their congressional testimony to tweets -- have critics warning of a chilling effect that could be a way to put officials on notice as Congress probes the Benghazi attack and Hillary Clinton email scandal.
“Boy, does this smell like bad fish,” said Peter Van Buren, an ex-foreign service officer who was squeezed out of his job in 2012 after he published a book and a personal blog critical of the State Department’s Iraq reconstruction efforts.
“This does seem kind of coincidental that these new rules, after three years, have been issued in the same time frame as the Hillary Clinton [email] situation ... and looking forward to [Benghazi] hearings in October,” he told FoxNews.com. “It looks like they are trying to chill the speech of their employees.”
The 19-page revised rules, first reported by the blog Diplopundit (http://diplopundit.net/2015/08/17/state-dept-releases-new-3-fam-4170-aka-the-stop-the-next-peter-van-buren-regulation/), were issued on July 27 and include three major changes or clarifications, critics say, that could clamp down on government workers’ speech. They include specific wording about congressional testimony, wait times for review of blog posts and social media like tweets, and additional restrictions on what material can be published in a personal capacity by either current or former employees.
“It’s an absolute overreach,” Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, told The Heritage Foundation's Daily Signal. (http://dailysignal.com/2015/08/19/state-department-clamps-down-on-speaking-to-congress-or-press/)
...
But the State Department maintained the changes are meant to help, not hinder, employees speaking publicly. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the revisions “are more protective of employee speech as they establish a higher bar for limiting employees’ writing or speaking in their personal capacity, while also recognizing changing technologies in communication, such as social media.”
He said the revisions streamline the review process and remind employees about existing rules regarding the disclosure of classified and other protected information.
“The revisions do not change any procedures with regard to employee testimony before the courts or Congress,” Toner added.
Still, the guidelines spell out that testimony from current or former employees must go through a review process, whether they are speaking in an official capacity or as a private citizen. While every agency requires some kind of pre-clearance before its employees speak on matters of official concern, the State Department “already has the tightest rules ever,” in terms of free speech, Van Buren said.
“[These revisions] are important in what they do to employees, particularly potential whistleblowers, before they have spoken,” Van Buren said. “The real key here is anyone who is sitting here waiting out a decision to blow the whistle is going to see this and say, I don’t have a freaking chance.”
...