An employee who exposes unethical or illegal conduct within the federal government or its contractors is called a what?

• A. Whistleblower
• B. Reapportionment
• C. Rider
• D. Senatorial courtesy

Answer: (A)

A whistleblower is an employee who reveals unethical or illegal conduct within the federal government or its contractors. The idea is that they “blow the whistle” to bring misconduct to light so it can be investigated and addressed. In the United States, laws like the Whistleblower Protection Act and related statutes protect these individuals from retaliation and provide channels for reporting, such as internal offices, inspectors general, or the Office of Special Counsel. This term specifically describes a person, not a process or tradition.

Reapportionment deals with redrawing political districts after a census, rider is a provision added to a bill, and senatorial courtesy is a Senate tradition for approving nominations. Each refers to a process or norm, not to someone who exposes misconduct.