Whistleblower Protection Program

You don't have to be a target. You just have to be the source.

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If you work for Humboldt County and you've witnessed corruption, incompetence, or retaliation—we can help you report it without risking your career. County administration has a playbook for dealing with employees who report problems: social isolation, career sabotage, manufactured investigations, and legal intimidation. The system is designed to protect corrupt officials, not fix broken processes.​ ​

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The Coalition serves as aggregator, analyst, and lightning rod. We convert individual reports into systemic pattern analysis, absorb institutional backlash, and make retaliation expensive. You stay safe. We take the heat.

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How It Works

1. You Report Confidentially Use our secure channels below. We never require identifying information.

2. We Aggregate & Analyze Multiple reports become documented patterns of systemic failure, not individual complaints.

3. We Escalate Strategically Private notification → Official briefings → Agency reporting → Media exposure → Public pressure Each step gives the County a chance to correct before consequences escalate.

4. We Monitor for Retaliation If we see the standard playbook deploying against you, we escalate immediately and publicly.

Your job stays safe. The problems get fixed.

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Secure Contact Methods

For Confidential Reports:

📱 Signal: (707) 267-8015
End-to-end encrypted. Can be used completely anonymously.

📧 Secure Email: CoalitionTips@Proton.me
Encrypted at rest. Use a temporary email account if desired.

​⌨️ Website contact:

Encrypted and anonymized. Make sure you're using your private device on an incognito browser for maximum anonymity.

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What to Include:

• Description of the issue (corruption, incompetence, retaliation)

• Department/office involved

• Timeline and documentation if available

• How to reach you securely (if you want follow-up)

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What NOT to Include:

• Your county email address

• Details that could identify you unless you're comfortable with that risk

• Information sent from county computers or networks

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What We Can Protect

✓ Your Identity - Sources remain anonymous unless you choose otherwise
✓ Your Career - Early retaliation detection and rapid response
✓ Your Information - Secure channels, careful aggregation, no individual exposure
✓ Your Goals - We want problems fixed, not just documented

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What We Can't Protect

✗ Information you've already reported through county channels without protection
✗ Issues you discuss with colleagues who might report you
✗ Digital trails on county computers or email systems
✗ Retaliation that's already in motion (but we can document and expose it)

Start with us first. Let us build the protection infrastructure before you go internal.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why should I trust the Coalition instead of county HR or my supervisor?
A: County HR protects the County, not you. Your supervisor may be part of the problem or unable to protect you from administration. We have no institutional loyalty to protect—only a mission to expose corruption. Our credibility depends on protecting sources.

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Q: What if my issue seems too small?
A: Small issues often reveal systemic patterns. What seems minor to you might corroborate other reports. Let us decide if it's actionable.

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Q: Can I stay completely anonymous?
A: Yes. You can report via Signal without any identifying information. We'll never ask for details that could expose you.

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Q: What if the County figures out it was me?
A: If we see retaliation beginning, we escalate immediately. The County's retaliation becomes evidence of the corruption we're exposing. We make it expensive for them.

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Q: Do I need documentation or proof?
A: Helpful but not required. Your direct knowledge is valuable even without documents. We can work with what you have. Whether you provide documentation or not we will submit a blanket PRA on the topic, ensuring that us having a piece of information doesn't implicate you as a source. 

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Q: What happens to my information?
A: We document, analyze for patterns, and use it strategically to pressure for correction. Sources stay anonymous. Information gets synthesized into systemic analysis.

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Q: Will you go to the media?
A: Only after escalating through other channels first, and only when necessary to achieve correction. Media exposure is a tool, not our first move.

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Q: Can I report retaliation that's already happening?
A: Yes. We can document the pattern, expose it publicly, and connect you with legal resources. The earlier you report, the better we can help.

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Q: What if I just want advice without formally reporting?
A: Contact us. We can discuss your situation confidentially and help you assess risks and options.

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Our Commitment

We don't ask you to be a hero. We ask you to be a source. We'll be the lightning rod.

County employees who try to fix broken systems deserve protection, not punishment. This program exists because Humboldt County's administration would rather eliminate problems than solve them.

When county employees see that reporting through the Coalition means the organization takes the heat while their jobs stay safe, the balance shifts. Whistleblowing becomes safe. Retaliation becomes expensive.

That's how broken systems get fixed.
 

Legal Notice

The Coalition is not a legal service and cannot provide legal advice. We can connect whistleblowers with legal resources when appropriate. This program provides strategic support, public advocacy, and retaliation monitoring—not legal representation. California whistleblower protections exist under various statutes. We recommend consulting with employment counsel and your union about your specific situation, particularly if retaliation has already begun.

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Supporting This Program

Protecting whistleblowers requires resources: secure infrastructure, legal support, rapid response capacity. Your support helps us absorb institutional backlash so county employees don't have to.

Current Priority: Legal Defense Fund
Target: $50,000 to provide rapid legal response when retaliation occurs.

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Help us make retaliation more expensive than correcting the problem.