Diebold whistleblower Stephen Heller strikes a plea deal

[garybeck]

It sucks that this HERO has to pay any money at all and apologize for doing the right thing.

We should send him any kind of support we can (financial or otherwise) and let him know we appreciate what he did.

For those not familiar with the story, Keller blew the whistle on Diebold a few years ago which caused the CA SoS to temporarily decertify the machines, and a lawsuit against Diebold, for making false claims, which the CA Attorney General forced an out-of-court settlement.

it occurs to me that the timing of this could have to do with RFK's lawsuit. as many know, he has some whistleblowers of his own. are they trying to scare them?

once again big thanks to Brad for the great reporting.

--

BREAKING: DIEBOLD WHISTLEBLOWER STRIKES PLEA DEAL ON FELONY CHARGES

Stephen Heller Agrees to Plead Guilty, Pay $10,000, Apologize and Receive Three Years Probation After Being Charged with 'Burglary' for Sharing Diebold Lawfirm's Privileged Documents with Newspaper, Election Integrity Activists

Tells BRAD BLOG He Has 'No Assets Left, Other Than House' and Deal is Meant to Protect Him and His Wife as 'Best Deal I Could Get Based on the Circumstances'

Stephen Heller, the Los Angeles whistleblower who turned over documents from Diebold's attorney, Jones-Day, in 2004 showing the Voting Machine Company had illegally installed uncertified hardware and software in California — and was preparing to lie about it — has pled guilty, according to a statement tonight from the LA County District Attorney's office.

In an email moments ago from Heller, he tells us that he and his wife "are very happy it is over."

Heller, whose story we detailed in an article published by Hustler some months ago, was a temporary worker at the voting machine company law firm when he stumbled across the troubling documents.

At the time, we quoted Michael Kohn, general counsel for the National Whistleblower Center as saying, "This is a very rare instance. In fact, the only one of which I’m aware, in which a whistleblower has been charged with a felony. I find it outrageous."

full story:
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=3824

[kster]

1. To all the Politicians who have allowed this to happen

K&R

[rumpel]

2. Whistleblowers are supposed to be protected...

how can this injustice be corrected?

[garybeck]

3. i think

the sleezeballs in power changed the whistleblower laws....

in terms of how it can be corrected, if we really wanted to do the right thing, we would all send $20 and pay for his fine, help find him a job...

I would also suggest praising him publicly and in articles and making him into a spokesperson for our cause. But there might be stipulations in his plea bargain against that.

[rumpel]

5. sounds like a good idea n/t

[Rageneau]

4. ""I never heard it was against the law for a citizen to do his utmost to prevent a crime...

...but that's exactly what he did." -- Heck Tate, Maycomb County Sheriff, about Boo Radley's fatal altercation with Bob Ewell in "To Kill A Mockingbird"

My, how times change.

[philb]

6. Who brought the action against him? Calif. At. Gen.?

Is he a Repub or Dem?

[Bill Bored]

7. Hmmm....any idea who OUTED him in the first place? nt