Scientific Integrity

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.

BLOG | Supreme Court FOIA Decision and Official Candor

by Jeff Ruch | March 16, 2021
The recent Supreme Court decision makes government less transparent by shielding scientific conclusions from disclosure unless they are finally adopted by agency decision-makers ...

PEERMail | Sunshine Week: Not Letting Our Guard Down

by Tim Whitehouse | March 15, 2021
The fight for government transparency is reaffirmed each year during Sunshine Week, where we stand up for our rights to government information ...

Fraud Charged in EPA Pesticide Risk Assessment

by PEER | February 25, 2021
Downgrade of Fumigant Cancer-Potential Due to Pervasive Misconduct ...

EPA Scientists Sound Alarm on Chemical Assessments

by PEER | February 24, 2021
Agency’s Toxic Internal Chemistry Reflected in New Employee Survey ...

PEERMail | What’s Next On Scientific Integrity?

by Tim Whitehouse | February 16, 2021
The influence of scientists in government has been gradually eroded over the last four decades as powerful economic interests asserted themselves ...

BLOG | Vilsack Pick Fails Scientific Integrity Test

by Jeff Ruch | February 3, 2021
Biden’s nominee for USDA Secretary, Tom Vilsack, had a dubious record on scientific integrity and ties to agri-business during his previous stint at USDA ...