A U.S. judge ruled that he lacked the power to reinstate the security clearance of a former Blue Grass Army Depot inspector who has alleged he was forced from his position after raising concerns about air quality testing systems in chemical weapons storage units, the Associated Press reported today (see GSN, Dec. 5, 2007).
Donald Van Winkle argued that he was ultimately pushed into retirement after making the claims that led to a criminal investigation and several other probes of the Kentucky site.
"Judges are not in a position to make security determinations," said Kevin Bennett, a lawyer representing the depot. "That's not their job."
Van Winkle attorney Paula Dinerstein said she would probably seek a new ruling from a Labor Department review panel, adding that the judge ignored other allegations of retaliation against Van Winkle such as the hostility from co-workers in the wake of his claims (Associated Press/Advocate-Messenger, Dec. 9).