Commentary

Senior Counsel

Jeff serves as Senior Counsel to PEER, where he specializes in civil service, scientific integrity, and whistleblower protection issues. Jeff was PEER’s Executive Director from 1997 to 2019 and its Pacific Director from 2019 to 2025. Previously, he was the Policy Director and a staff attorney at the Government Accountability Project, representing whistleblowers from both the public and private sectors. Before coming to DC, Jeff worked in California state government for 17 years, mostly in the State Legislature as counsel to various committees where he drafted hundreds of laws on topics ranging from energy conservation to the rights of employed inventors. Jeff served stints as a deputy district attorney and an appellate court clerk. He is a graduate of the California Correctional Officers Academy.

New Federal Hires: Outsized Egos, No Brains

by Jeff Ruch | October 26, 2026
The Trump administration does not want to hire on the basis of merit. Instead, the focus is on whether new hires are compatible with the Trump priorities ...

Data Centers are Coming for Our Public Lands — How We Fight Back

by Tim Whitehouse | October 7, 2026
The most dangerous thing we can do in the AI race is give away our public lands and waive environmental laws for data center projects. Here's how PEER is fighting back ...

Our National Forests Are Under Attack — How We Fight Back

by Chandra Rosenthal | September 23, 2026
Our national forests and the wildlife and ecosystems they sustain are under direct attack. Here's how PEER is fighting back ...

EPA Turns Against Its Own Mission — How We Fight Back

by Tim Whitehouse | September 10, 2026
Under Administrator Lee Zeldin’s leadership, EPA has instituted a culture of fear, destroyed its science programs, gutted most of its environmental programs, and betrayed its basic mission in order to please a few select powerful industries ...

Interior — Another Stress Test for Democracy

by Tim Whitehouse | August 27, 2026
Coming together to challenge Interior’s mismanagement of public lands and its mistreatment of public employees is a great way to commemorate National Park Week ...