New law firm seeks would-be gov’t whistleblowers, requires Tor and SecureDrop

Enlarge (credit: Kate Ter Haar)

On Monday, a former top State Department official who blew the whistle three years ago on what he saw as overzealous surveillance announced a new non-profit law firm, Whistleblower Aid. Unlike most other whistleblowing organizations, however, Whistleblower Aid is employing a few crucial digital tools to help, including Tor and SecureDrop-and it's entirely pro bono.

"We're also helping people go to Robert Mueller if they have evidence of crimes by senior officials," John Tye, the former official, told Ars, referring to the Department of Justice special counsel that is currently investigating possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 presidential election.

Tye's partner is Mark Zaid, a well-known national security attorney based in Washington, DC. Unlike most modern law firms, which conduct nearly all business by phone and e-mail, Whistleblower Aid outright eschews these methods.

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