Commentary

Of Counsel

Jeff serves as Of 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.

BLOG | When Government is Run By A Gilded Few, Essential Workers Pay the Price

by Tim Whitehouse | October 28, 2020
With the White House still pushing to “reopen” at all costs, essential workers will continue to pay the highest prices in the COVID-19 pandemic ...

BLOG | Proposed Definition of ‘Habitat’ Could Spell Trouble for Marine Life 

by Guest Contributor | October 26, 2020
Redefining "habitats" hinders federal agencies to protect endangered marine species in an age of warming oceans, including the North Atlantic right whale ...

BLOG | Is Pendley Indispensable at BLM or Just Undetectable?

by Jeff Ruch | October 9, 2020
A federal court in Montana is now determining which of William Pendley actions as illegal head of the Bureau of Lang Management (BLM) should be invalidated ...

Op-Ed | Should We Stop Spraying for Mosquitoes During the Pandemic?

by Kyla Bennett | October 7, 2020
Should we be using pesticides when spraying for mosquitoes that may compromise someone’s respiratory system during a pandemic ...

BLOG | EPA’s Embalmed Formaldehyde Report 

by Kevin Bell | October 2, 2020
The EPA’s Formaldehyde Report has still not seen the light of day, despite what the EPA says ...

BLOG | Pendley Debacle Unmasks David Bernhardt’s Legal Charades

by Jeff Ruch | September 30, 2020
Judge rules WIlliam Pendley cannot serve as a de facto Director of the BLM despite the anemic arguments to the contrary by David Bernhardt ...
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