Suzanne Dershowitz
TweetPublic Policy Fellow
Year Started At POGO: 2012
Areas of expertise: advocacy, legislative policy analysis, coordinating coalition campaigns
Suzie Dershowitz focuses on systemic public policy fixes to increase government openness and accountability. She has contributed to POGO’s letters, white papers, policy proposals, op-eds, podcasts, and blog posts on issues such as reforming whistleblower protections, reshaping the Pentagon budget, and strengthening accountability for government contractors. Prior to joining POGO, Dershowitz interned at the American Civil Liberties Union, U.S. House of Representatives, and Global Policy Forum. She earned a B.A. in Political Science from U.C. Berkeley.
POGO highlights
- Authored “Federal Agencies Lagging on FOIA Processing—What’s the Hold Up?” which analyzes how efficiently federal agencies have been responding to the public’s requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act
- Authored “One Year Later: Assessing Progress on National Action Plan,” which evaluates the Administration’s action on commitments to openness as part of the Open Government Partnership
FOIAonline: Measuring Performance and Looking Ahead
FOIAonline may revolutionize the way the public accesses government information, but first, more agencies need to buy into the system.
It’s Not as Sunny as We’d Like
During Sunshine Week, POGO's Director of Public Policy testified before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on transparency, accountability, and unchecked secrecy in the growing national security state.
POGO and Partners Shine Light on Best Practices for Openness
POGO and partner organizations release report in advance of Sunshine Week entitled Highlighted Best Practices for Openness and Accountability.
Investing in Watchdogs: More Bang for Your Buck
The Office of Special Counsel needs additional funding to protect whistleblowers and save taxpayer dollars.
There is growing consensus around the need to reshape the Pentagon budget, reflected in several bipartisan legislative proposals, recent public polling, and a shift in media coverage.
House Oversight Committee Takes a Stand on FOIA
Representatives Issa and Cummings demand answers from the Justice Department on government-wide FOIA policy and practices.
How Many Federal Workers Know Their Rights?
Most federal agencies have have not received whistleblower certification from the Office of Special Counsel, suggesting that too many would-be whistleblowers don't know their rights under the law.
Lawmakers Sound Alarm on Obama’s NDAA Signing Statement
Bipartisan group of Senators and Representatives stands up for whistleblowers in letter to President Obama.
NDAA Scorecard for Taxpayers: Ya Win Some, Ya Lose Some
A conference committee has reconciled the House and Senate versions of the NDAA, and a number of provisions POGO supports for greater government accountability were included in the defense budget bill.
Celebrating a New Day for Whistleblowers
The Project On Government Oversight, Make It Safe Coalition, and Fund for Constitutional Government hosted a celebration of the enactment of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act, honoring whistleblowers, advocates, and cosponsors of the landmark legislation.
Bipartisan Letter Calls for Reducing the Pentagon Budget
22 Representatives from both sides of the aisle signed on to a letter endorsing strategic Pentagon budget cuts as part of any "fiscal cliff" deal.
NDAA Update: Defense Budget Bill Scorecard
The Project On Government Oversight supports crucial measures to eliminate DoD waste, increase contractor oversight, and enhance government accountability in the Senate's multi-billion dollar defense budget bill.
Wyden Pumps the Brakes on Anti-Leaks Legislation
POGO applauds Senator Ron Wyden for placing a hold on the Intelligence Authorization Act--problematic anti-leak provisions in the bill threaten the public's right to know and government accountability.
Congress Sends Whistleblower Reform to the President’s Desk!
After more than a decade of advocacy, Congress finally passes landmark whistleblower reform legislation in the form of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act, protecting truth-tellers and improving accountability to taxpayers.
Government Best Practices for Managing a Crisis
POGO and allies offer ten key recommendations to the Presidential candidates for improving federal crisis management policy.
POGO’s Top Picks for Defense Budget Bill
The Project On Government Oversight sent a letter to Congress with our picks for the most important provisions that should be included in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013.
One Year Later: Assessing Progress on National Action Plan
It's been one year since the Open Government Partnership was established, and now it's time to assess how much progress the Administration has made implementing the U.S. National Action Plan for greater openness, transparency, and accountability.
POGO Cheers MSPB for Granting Stay for Whistleblowers
The MSPB and OSC have defended U.S. Army whistleblowers who may have suffered retaliation for exposing the truth about their supervisor’s illegal actions.
Federal Agencies Lagging on FOIA Processing—What’s the Hold Up?
Federal agencies are still lagging in their response time to Freedom of Information Act requests.
Bipartisan House Bill Would Expand Whistleblower Protections to Federal Contractors
A bill introduced by U.S. Reps. Jackie Speier and Todd Platts would expand whistleblower protections to federal contractor employees and those who receive federal grants. This much-needed bill could save taxpayers billions of dollars by encouraging whistleblowers to step forward.
Report Reveals Some Open Gov Progress, but Also Increasing National Security Secrecy
OpenTheGovernment.org released its annual Secrecy Report for 2012, which demonstrated both positive changes in open government policies and enormous challenges in areas of continued secrecy.
Conservatives Tell Rep. Issa: Federal Whistleblowers, and Taxpayers, Deserve Their Day in Court
Today, the North County Times, a paper in Representative Darrell Issa's (R-Calif.) district, published an Op-Ed by our allies at National Taxpayers Union and Liberty Coalition that makes clear they expect Rep. Issa to fulfill his promise of protections for federal whistleblowers by ensuring those whistleblowers can access the courts to hold the government accountable.
Audit the Pentagon: POGO Applauds New Bipartisan Initiative
Although the Pentagon budget has ballooned by billions in the past decade, it can’t even produce a basic financial statement. But last week, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and a bipartisan band of senators introduced a bill to fix this outrage and increase accountability at the Pentagon.
Finally Some Justice for a Defense Contractor Whistleblower
The Department of Defense (DoD) Inspector General (IG) recently validated a contractor whistleblower reprisal for the first time in six years. The IG was able to side with the whistleblower in this special case because the complaint was related to a defense contract involving American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds.
POGO Applauds Bureau's New Credit Card Complaint Database-Boon for Consumers
Last week, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) launched a brand new credit card complaint database, providing the public with important, new information on which banks have generated criticism from consumers. Making these complaints available online will aid the American people in making responsible decisions about their finances and enhance the transparency of the credit card market.
Non-Federal Employee Whistleblower Protection Act Clears Committee
On Wednesday, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) passed a bill that would expand much-needed whistleblower protections to all non-federal recipients of federal funds.
Victory for Open Government: The Data Act Passes the House!
POGO applauds the House of Representatives for passing the bipartisan Digital Accountability and Transparency (DATA) Act today, a critical bill that would revolutionize federal spending transparency and help prevent bureaucratic waste, fraud, and abuse.
Open Government Plans 2.0: Some Agencies Make Strides, Others Just Go Through the Motions
On April 9, federal agencies across the government released updates of their Open Government Plans, a key component of President Obama's Open Government Initiative. Overall, the results have been mixed.
