THREAD: I'm still noodling on this response. But here are my initial thoughts. I don't want to know if the IG EVER required 1st hand knowledge, I want to know if anyone ever submitted a form where they didn't mark first hand knowledge. 1/
2/ because it was marked VERY clearly FIRST HAND INFORMATION REQUIRED. Who is going to fill out a form and check they didn't have first hand info if the form says it's required! AND why stress that?
3/ And ICIG Training for EMPLOYEES from 2016 gives this nice little summary of what to include. 
4/ Also, the ICIG's entire discussion that the statute doesn't require first hand knowledge is true but irrelevant. Question is how did ICIG interpret the statute. Key language is key: "Speculation" does not provide sufficient legal basis to meet STATUTORY requirements of ICWPA.
5/ Given this previously language "FIRST HAND INFORMATION REQUIRED," the training sessions, it seems clear SOMEONE interpreted language that way? Or was that only for Obama? So, I want these questions answered:
6/ along with documentation. How did that FIRST HAND INFORMATION REQUIRED direction get in there? Was that every the interpretation? Have ANY forms been accepted with first hand information NOT checked?
7/ Did your policy change from predecessor? What about under Obama? Who was involved and why? And finally, that ICIG maintains it was an "urgent matter" is telling--either incompetent or complicit!
8/ also of interest is this highlighted language which deals with the retaliation and not filing, but might IG office previously used this as basis to call for first hand information?
9/ Additionally, I'd note I thought there was a typo when the IG said they changed the form in response to press inquiries, because I thought the form was changed in September-but on double checking it was uploaded in September but shows a revision in August.
10/ So was it revised in August and uploaded in September? Was it revised based on press reports? Didn't the Whistleblower info just go public? How would form be revised in August in relation to press reports then?
11/ I actually have more questions now than before the release of the statement.
