Trump administration

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.

East Wing Demolition Metaphor for Trump Governance

by Jeff Ruch | October 27, 2025
The bulldozers and backhoes have razed the East Wing of the White House to make way for President Trump’s big, beautiful ballroom. Characteristically, Trump has barreled ahead, heedless of the law, tradition, or concerns about historic protection and good taste ...

PEERMail | Good News for Federal Employees!

by PEER | October 16, 2025
A federal judge's ruling puts a legal stop for the moment to one of the most blatant examples yet of the Trump administration's abuse of power ...

STATEMENT | Federal Court Ruling Halting Illegal Firings of Federal Workers

by Tim Whitehouse | October 15, 2025
Today’s court ruling is an important victory for federal employees, for the rule of law, and for the principle that public servants cannot be used as political pawns ...

Webinar | Environmental Protection, Public Service, and the Rise of Authoritarianism

by PEER | October 7, 2025
Listen in on an important, engaging and interactive discussion on the threats to environmental protection and public employees during the rise of authoritarianism and explore how we in the environmental movement can be more effective in our work ...

STATEMENT | Trump Administration Plan To Not Pay Furloughed Federal Employees Is “Illegal and Morally Corrupt”

The millions of hard working people who work for the federal government should not be used as political pawns nor should their livelihood become a political weapon ...