October 23, 2024 • 29 mins
Whistleblower Pedro Israel Orta pulls back the curtain on deep state corruption and government accountability in his explosive memoir, "The Broken Whistle: A Deep State Run Amok." With raw honesty and an unfiltered narrative, Orta challenges the status quo, offering an eye-opening look into the inner workings of intelligence agencies that raises more questions than answers. This episode promises a rich tapestry of insights, critiques, and endorsements from notable reviewers like Philip Zozzaro, the Independent Book Review, and Literary Titan Review, as we dissect the impact of unchecked power and mismanagement within these secretive institutions.
Listeners are taken on a gripping journey through Orta's personal experiences at the CIA, highlighting the personal and professional toll of challenging systemic corruption. The discussion underscores the urgency of transparency and reform, shedding light on how the whistleblower protection process can be both weaponized and fraught with challenges. Orta's memoir is not just a call for action but a testament to his commitment to preserving the constitution and advocating for lawful accountability within government structures.
We also delve into the art of crafting a compelling narrative, comparing Orta's detailed account with other whistleblower memoirs like Alexander Vindman's "Here, Right Matters." Emphasizing the rigorous editing process behind his self-published work, we discuss the challenges of balancing factual accuracy with engaging storytelling. Tune in to explore the brave journey of a whistleblower who stands firm against corruption and the lessons we can all learn about speaking truth to power.
For more details please visit www.pedroisraelorta.com. You can also follow me on most social media sites @PedroIsraelOrta.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
In this episode, I want to dive into my book, the
Broken Whistle A Deep StateRunamonk.
Let's look at a few critiquesand praises for this book by
reviewing what some have writtenor said.
Some of the critics havecomplained that this book is
more about myself than thesystem.
Others have basically called ita book that rails against the
(00:23):
American bureaucracy and readsmore like a rant than an actual
read, while at the same time,some have accused me of being a
misogist.
Yes, the critiques have beenvery harsh, with one-star
ratings.
However, let's look at some ofthe praises for this book.
I have one review from PhilipCesaro, who is a professional
book reviewer.
(00:43):
He basically writes in hisprofile I love books.
Have been writing book reviewssince 2015.
I have worked for San FranciscoBook Review since March 2015,
reviewed over 300 books.
I have reviewed mainstreampublications along with
self-published books.
This is what Philip has to say.
This is what Philip has to say.
The broken whistle is athrilling expose, unveiling a
(01:06):
deep state bent on destroyingdissent and preserving its power
.
It is an unapologetic chronicleof one man's fight for justice,
a clarion call that thundersthrough the darkest corners of
power.
Prepare to be captivated byOrta's unflinching courage as he
(01:27):
peels back the layers ofdeception, exposing a broken
whistleblower system that hasforsaken its sacred duty.
He further states the truthmust be told is equal parts.
Memoir and government expose.
I'll repeat that again thetruth must be told is equal
parts.
Memoir and government expose.
And he closes his book reviewwith a very important statement
(01:50):
this proves to be a valuablebook in understanding how
intelligence agencies are runand often mismanaged.
Another professional reviewer isIndependent Book Review.
In this particular instance,this is what they had to say A
provocative memoir about doingthe right thing even when your
moral dilemma involves the deepstate.
(02:12):
They further add Orta's passionand dedication to what's right
leaps from the page.
His unique insight into why ourwhistleblower system needs
fixed is the big reason why thisbook remains so engaging.
And very important is theamount of detail in this book
where they say from hisUkrainian starting point, orta
(02:34):
then outlines his experiences inwar-torn areas of Iraq,
afghanistan and the Middle Eastfrom 2000 to 2019 to prove his
thesis that the system ofwhistleblowing is broken.
To prove so, he takes readersthrough a series of events
recognizable to anyone followingworld events, even from a
(02:54):
distance.
And now here's the third andfinal review.
We will go over.
This one is from Literary TitanReview.
They gave it five stars out offive.
The Broken Whistle by PedroIsrael Horta offers an
insightful and intenseexploration of the intricate
world of intelligence andpolitical dynamics.
Horta, casting himself as thecentral figure, stands out as a
(03:17):
significant personality in therealm of American intelligence
and politics.
The narrative insightfullyaddresses the corruption of the
whistleblowing process withinthe intelligence community, a
central theme that echoesthroughout the book.
They also say Orta's unfilteredand honest portrayal of events
makes the book compelling anddifficult to set aside.
(03:38):
His narrative is robust andsteadfast, providing readers
with a clear, informative andintimately personal journey
through his experiences.
The bravery displayed by Ortain revealing the more ominous
aspects of the intelligencecommunity and political
landscape is commendable.
He infuses each page with anintense realism, plunging the
(04:00):
reader into a critical period ofAmerican history.
The author exercises prudenceand discretion in handling
sensitive material, particularlyregarding the identities and
confidential information ofothers.
Orta adeptly navigates througha tangled network of allegations
, political maneuvering andensuing impeachment processes,
(04:21):
illuminating the largerimplications for American
democracy and the principle ofthe rule of law, which can at
times be unsettling to thereader.
And the last paragraph, thebroken whistle, is more than an
expose.
It is a discerning examinationof the mechanisms of power,
corruption, the pursuit of truthand justice.
Orta's work is a significantcontribution to literature.
(04:44):
For those intrigued by theinner workings of the
intelligence community, thecomplexities of political power
and the audacity required toconfront a system that often
suppresses dissent, his storyserves as a potent reminder of
the continual struggle fortransparency and accountability
at the highest levels ofauthority, at the highest levels
(05:05):
of authority.
So there you have it.
Professional book reviewers havespoken and they tell you
exactly what this book is.
It's part expose, part memoir.
The title tells you memoir of aCIA whistleblower is a tagline
by the author's name and thetitle provides obvious, clear
clues as far as what thenarrative entails.
In this particular case,specifically the Broken Whistle
(05:26):
A Deep State Run Amok title andsubtitle.
So the book is about the brokenwhistleblower process and
provides details of how thatprocess is broken and calling it
A Deep State Run Amok.
Now here's a clue to readingthis book.
Like any book, you reallycannot cut out parts of a book.
(05:49):
If it's in the book, it must beread.
I mean, the book has basicallya CIA disclaimer that you must
read.
It has an author's note and aprologue.
The CIA disclaimer is there bytheir request.
In order for me to publish thebook within the confines of the
(06:11):
law considering that I have anon-disclosure agreement and a
secrecy agreement with the CIA Imust submit the book for a
pre-publication review, and Idid so.
Now, every part of this book isin there for a reason.
Nothing can be missed.
The quotes are very specific.
The quotes are there to showthe reader certain aspects of
(06:31):
the book.
Immediately after the CIAdisclaimer, I use a quote
attributed to George Orwell,although it's unverified, and it
says in an age of universaldeceit, telling the truth is a
revolutionary act.
And that is it.
Truth Confronting lies with thetruth, revealing the truth that
(06:51):
is a fundamental theme in thisbook.
In the closing of the author'snote I write what follows is the
truth of what happenedPreceding that.
I have written this memoir withtransparency and without
self-censorship, to accuratelyconvey what I experienced.
And that leads me to theprologue, titled the Truth Must
(07:14):
Be Told, and it's got a greatquote from George Washington
that states Truth willultimately prevail where there
is pains to bring it to light.
Now here's an important part ofthis book that has to be
addressed the term deep state.
I immediately defined the termdeep state in the prologue and
(07:35):
it's very, very specific.
Reading from the book, from themoment political scientists
coined the term administrativestate after World War II, it was
clear that a bureaucraticbehemoth had taken root.
Today we know it by a morefitting name, the Deep State,
and I specifically call it outfor what it is, and it's
(07:58):
basically the United StatesNational Security Bureaucratic
State.
Now this is a book devoid ofconspiratorial nonsense.
Everything in this book isbasically first-hand material
that I witnessed.
I do provide some context byadding in stories of other
whistleblowers, but I use theirfirst-hand materials publicly
(08:20):
available and I cite them as faras where the sources can be
found.
Now the prologue tells you whyI wrote this book and in part,
here's a quote from thisprologue.
The evidence trail confirms thedeep state's sinners are side
One that won't hesitate totopple and ravage our
constitutional republic for aclandestine agenda.
(08:42):
If left unchecked, it will rotour nation to the core, sending
it rumbling into the ashes ofhistory, morphing our land into
a dictatorial bureaucracy willbecome a despicable oligarchy
that will force-feed itsmalevolent agenda to the masses,
rendering our hard-earnedconstitutional liberties
impotent.
A group of corrupt deep stateoperatives are running wild,
(09:06):
breaking laws and abusing theirpower, facing no consequences.
They aim to avoid all forms ofscrutiny, whether from within or
outside the organization.
Their method is to quash andannihilate any dissension or
opposition.
Our elected officials have letus down by failing to hold the
deep state accountable forviolating laws and abusing their
(09:27):
state power.
Many people have sufferedirreparable harm because of
their wicked actions.
I further add the survival ofour constitutional republic is
at stake.
This book is a clarion call foraction.
As I write, we must rise up asone to save our constitutional
republic from destruction andextinction.
(09:48):
This book should ignite a flamethat leads to corrective action
, with a heat that melts awaythe fear of reprisal from
tyranny and the abuse of statepower.
We must demand that ourgovernment fulfill its duty to
serve us, and we must do sothrough peaceful and lawful
means.
Continuing to read from myprologue, prepare to enter the
(10:09):
dark and dangerous world of thedeep state, where the
whistleblower protection processwas weaponized to take down a
sitting president.
In what amounted to a politicalhit job, a supposed
whistleblower was grantedspecial status, attention and
protection by sworn enemies ofPresident Trump.
Meanwhile, intelligencecommunity whistleblowers with
(10:30):
actual integrity faced viciousreprisals while Congress stood
idly by.
I hope that the truth presentedhere will ignite a fire in
readers and inspire folks to putan end to the tyranny of the
deep state.
It's crucial that we remainvigilant.
As President John Adams wrote,liberty once lost is lost
(10:51):
forever.
Let it not be said of us thatwe lost our liberties because we
failed to act boldly to defeattyranny.
If we do not act now to exposeand dismantle the deep state, we
risk losing everything we holddear.
Our constitution, our libertiesand our way of life are at
stake.
We must rally together todemand transparency,
accountability and reform, and Iclose my prologue with the
(11:16):
following what follows is theunvarnished truth and nothing
but the truth.
May it free us from theclutches of deep state tyranny.
In the process of writing afirst-hand account of my
experiences working at theCentral Intelligence Agency and
exposing the deep state, I alsowrote a memoir that is dedicated
(11:37):
to my daughter.
If you read at the verybeginning, it states I dedicate
this book to my daughter.
You are dearly loved.
I will always defend andprotect you always.
And there's a significantreason why I have done so.
One of the central themes ofthis book is the impact upon
families as far as reprisalstaken against whistleblowers.
(12:01):
It's not just only thewhistleblower that suffers, but
it's their families.
In this particular case, mydaughter has suffered much and
so has my ex-wife.
This basically has cost us asignificant separation where my
daughter lives in a foreigncountry.
My ex-wife went back to herforeign country and it ended our
marriage and sadly my daughteris the big loser in this dilemma
(12:26):
here where she has beenseparated from her father.
So so much for being accused ofbeing a misogist when
essentially I was speaking up todefend the rights of my ex-wife
and my daughter.
I would have been an idiot notto stand up to defend them
because they are flesh of myflesh, bone of my bone, and I
must rise up and defend mydaughter at all times and I will
(12:48):
always do so.
Now, as far as the structure ofthe book, it is somewhat of a
lengthy read, but if you takeout the appendix it's not so
much.
It's roughly about 390 pageswithout the appendix.
But I put the appendix in therebecause it definitely would add
some context to understand someof the legal issues, because in
(13:09):
part, as it says, governmentExposé, it is a book on
whistleblowing, andwhistleblowing is a legal matter
and there are laws that have tobe defined and explained.
Let's look at the appendix.
I start here with list ofprincipal characters, and it's
important for me to have thenames laid out so that the
(13:29):
reader can go back and refer tothem, because a lot of names are
used in this book the true name, individuals and fictional
characters.
Since I had to protect theidentities of former or current
CIA intelligence officials,officers, employees, contractors
, so forth, I ended up having touse fictional names.
I also have a glossary ofacronyms and abbreviations.
(13:53):
It's almost impossible to writea book about the military or
the US government without havingsome level of acronyms being
used.
Trying to explain or have along narrative on a specific
office or group or entity withinthe government would have even
(14:16):
made it a much longer book.
So it was much easier just touse the acronym and call it out
immediately what it is and referto it in the appendix, which I
do so Now.
As far as the legal aspects ofwhistleblowing, I provide what
is known as the US governmentethical conduct requirements.
I mean there are very strictguidelines of what government
(14:49):
employees are supposed to abusesof power, waste fraud,
significant and specificendangerment to public safety
and harassment issues.
I get into the federal EEOliability issues of what is a
federal equal employmentopportunity liability.
Then, more importantly, as faras the whistleblower protections
(15:10):
, that what is an intelligencecommunity protected disclosure,
a legal definition?
Then you know there's thepresidential policy directive 19
that mandates whistleblowerreprisal protections and
investigations and you know,throwing around some legal terms
without actually having thedefinition would be worthless to
the reader.
So one of the legalrequirements is to conduct
(15:31):
investigations to the fullestextent possible.
That is a legal term andthere's actually a legal
definition to the fullest extentpossible.
So I covered in the appendixand last but not least, let's go
over here something called thezero tolerance policy on
harassment.
The CIA prides itself in havinga zero tolerance policy on
harassment.
That turns out to be prettyletters on paper that are
(15:53):
worthless, because the fact ofthe matter is, when, in my case,
I had to put that to the test,I was immediately thrown out,
kicked out and basicallystripped of my clearance and
fired.
Now, as far as the rest of thestructure, I start with chapter
one titled WeaponizedWhistleblowing the Trump
impeachment, september 2019.
(16:15):
And again, remember that eachquote at the beginning of the
chapters are there for aspecific reason.
In this particular case, thequote that I have is by Immanuel
Kant Truth is the child of time.
Ere long she shall appear tovindicate thee.
Now, this is a very importantchapter because in the Trump
impeachment, a fakewhistleblower because that's
(16:36):
what he was and is was hailed asa hero, while, as this chapter
one tells and shows, the realwhistleblowers were basically
vilified as villains to bethrown out as yesterday's trash.
In this chapter, I provide veryspecific details as far as why
(16:57):
Vindman, sharamela, so forth,were really fake whistleblowers.
For example, the Department ofJustice Office of Legal Counsel
ruled that their so-calledwhistleblowing did not meet the
statute of the law, the mandatesof the law, the requirements of
the law as far as being aboutan intelligence activity under
the funding and authorizationjurisdiction of the Directorate
(17:21):
of National Intelligence or, forthat matter, even the Office of
Inspector General for theIntelligence Community.
Despite the allegations notmeeting the threshold of the law
, they were heralded as heroes,receiving immediate attention
and assistance, protection fromCongress, the Inspector Generals
and the media, and consequently, you know this led to the
(17:42):
impeachment of Trump andconsequently, you know this led
to the impeachment of Trump.
Now, speaking of theimpeachment of Trump, I must add
that I was the one who revealedto the public that this
so-called whistleblower processthe Intelligence Community
Whistleblower Protection Actprocess was actually modified
and changed, ironically justabout the time that these
(18:02):
allegations came out againstTrump.
As this chapter states and therest of the book, I actually
used the Intelligence CommunityWhistleblower Protection Act
numerous times.
In early 2017, actually aboutApril May 2017, I filed a series
of disclosures with theInspector General himself for
the intelligence community.
When I followed up two weekslater, three weeks later,
(18:26):
silence crickets nothing.
Apparently, they weresuppressed.
When I followed up again inJune, july.
Eventually, through an attorney, I had to find a workaround to
try to get some of thesedisclosures to Congress, and the
CIA Office of CongressionalAffairs got involved and they
(18:48):
tell me we don't pass all thosematerials to Congress.
So I really have no idea whatCongress got, if they got
anything.
On that note, I never receiveda response to my ICWPAs from the
Inspector General or, for thatmatter, a legitimate response
from Congress.
I was put in a situation where Ifollowed up and filed again a
(19:13):
second time a year later andthis time with a new Inspector
General at the Office ofInspector General for the
Intelligence Community.
I was told to refile them usingthe infamous Form 401 that
mandated specific first-handinformation.
If it was not first-handinformation, they would not
(19:35):
consider it a disclosure andthey would not file it at all.
Following the direction of theInspector General, I refiled
some disclosures in early 2019,four of them to be exact and
this time I get an immediateresponse from the Inspector
General for the intelligencecommunity.
They actually told me that,because I was no longer an
(19:59):
employee of the intelligencecommunity, I had no right or
standing to file any ICW PAs.
So, essentially, when I wasemployed and they had the
ability to process them, theyrefused to process my ICW PAs.
Meanwhile, when I was finallyfired, I get a response saying
(20:20):
sorry, you can't file them anylonger.
Now in the book, I provide somecontext as far as what these
allegations were that I actuallyfiled, and they were legitimate
, credible, firsthand pertainingto intelligence activities
intelligence funded activitiesunder the jurisdiction of the
intelligence community inspectorgeneral, as well as the
(20:42):
directorate of nationalintelligence.
So my point is realwhistleblowers like myself and I
name a few others in my bookJohn Reedy, jonathan Kaplan,
andrew Bakage and, mostimportantly, john Kiriakou we
were treated like yesterday'strash, where we were basically
discarded, receiving zero or noassistance from Congress and in
(21:05):
one case, john Kiriakou,basically prosecuted under
questionable conditions,instigated by director of CIA
John Brennan.
That basically cost him asignificant price.
He went to jail for, I believe,almost two years.
So the short story isintelligence community
(21:25):
whistleblower is beyond broken.
It becomes a tool for political.
Of how political opportunistswith their connections within
(21:50):
the intelligence communitybrazenly wield their power to
enact retaliatory measuresagainst whistleblowers, all
while enjoying the cheerleadingsupport of the media.
A late bears the alarmingabsence of consequences for
their actions, revealing asystem where accountability is a
mere illusion.
This failure to hold suchindividuals accountable further
(22:11):
perpetuates a lawless deep state, with Congress failing in its
duty to restore order and upholdthe principles of justice.
Justice.
Then the book proceeds to getinto the rest of my career at
the CIA, but prior to that, Ibring in my humble beginnings in
(22:34):
Miami, florida, from animmigrant family, to provide
people some perspectives as faras how I grew up, what motivated
me and what led me to speaktruth to power at the CIA and,
more importantly, to show thereader that I had a reliable,
steady, proven performancerecord of exemplary work in the
(22:54):
private sector in Miami, where Iworked for about 14 years in
perishable commodities.
So I did not go into the CIAhaving no work experiences, but
indeed I went into the CIA whatcould be considered a mid-career
hire, having proven workexperiences, to be able to enter
service for the government witha proven character and
(23:16):
performance, to ensure that Iwould be a productive member of
the US national security state,in this particular case, not
just a career bureaucrat, but anindividual that would go in and
do what is right.
Now for the next episode, Iwill go out through the
structure of the book, but Iwant to close with a very
(23:37):
important point here.
My book in some ways actuallymimics the book of one of the
Ukraine whistleblowers,particularly.
Alexander Vindman wrote a bookcalled here Right Matters An
American Story, and his book isactually a much lighter read
than my book.
He begins his book with hisstory as one of the
whistleblowers that led to theimpeachment of President Trump
(24:04):
and proceeds by basicallystarting from scratch chapter
two from scratch where he goesfrom his humble beginnings and
eventually his career in themilitary down into the point
where he eventually lands in theNational Security Council and
how he basically reports on whathe believed evidence is
wrongdoing.
But, as we know, the reality is, according to the Office of
(24:24):
Legal Counsel, he was neverreally a real whistleblower
defined by the law for theIntelligence Community
Whistleblower Protection Act.
Now his book is published by amajor publisher and is hailed as
a bestseller by the New YorkTimes.
Where here's what most peopledon't realize the New York Times
(24:46):
bestseller list is not actuallya list of bestselling books.
It's an editorial list of whatthe New York Times believes
should be a bestseller book,what they endorse as a good book
per their definition of goodbooks.
Now, unlike my book, it's alight read.
It's got little meat on thebones, shall we say, whereas I
(25:07):
was forced to put a lot of meaton the bones Since I'm not
considered to be a realwhistleblower by many on the
left.
I wanted to make sure that thebook had extensive details to
prove the point that I was alegitimate whistleblower, where
I reported what I reasonablybelieved evidenced wrongdoing,
fraud, waste, abuse of power,significant and specific
(25:29):
endangerment to public safetyand, for that matter, equal
employment opportunity lawviolations.
Now, unlike Vindman's book,mine is self-published.
However, I ensured that thisbook was edited by professionals
.
It went through a very rigorouseditorial process On my end
(25:55):
countless hours of just editingand editing, and editing and
editing, until it was finallyprime for an experienced copy
editor to get the book and putthe finishing touches to it, to
turn it into a final book fitfor printing.
And in this case I ensured thatI found the right copy editor,
an individual with more than 20years experience editing these
type of books, who had actuallyedited an intelligence memoir
(26:19):
that was a very highly regardedbook, and, for that matter, also
other individuals and formermilitary officers.
So the copy editor did anoutstanding job to turn it into
a final manuscript fit forpublication.
But I did not stop there.
I took it a step further.
I took it to a proofreader whodid a deep dive, proofreading
(26:42):
line by line.
So the book actually wasmeticulously edited,
meticulously proofread and, likeany book, it's not going to be
perfect.
There may be a few typos or afew minor errors, but there are
so few of them.
If there are any errors, we'retalking about maybe half a dozen
, and you would have to bereading it with a kind of a
(27:05):
microscopic look to it to beable to find them.
So let's close here and we willpick up the next time on the
rest of the book, the layout, asfar as why I wrote it the way I
wrote it and, in comparison,some of the latest memoirs,
because there's three othermemoirs that I researched and
looked into and the truth isthat if you were to compare my
(27:28):
book to the three otherintelligence memoirs that came
out recently, they're verycomparable as far as length,
structure, the formatting andhow the narrative evolved.
So thank you for listening andI look forward to coming back
online here and producinganother episode on the why of
(27:49):
the broken whistle, deep StateRun Amok and the details as far
as why it was structured, theway it was structured.
In this episode, I want to dive into my book, the
Broken Whistle A Deep StateRunamonk.
Let's look at a few critiquesand praises for this book by
reviewing what some have writtenor said.
Some of the critics havecomplained that this book is
more about myself than thesystem.
Others have basically called ita book that rails against the
(00:23):
American bureaucracy and readsmore like a rant than an actual
read, while at the same time,some have accused me of being a
misogist.
Yes, the critiques have beenvery harsh, with one-star
ratings.
However, let's look at some ofthe praises for this book.
I have one review from PhilipCesaro, who is a professional
book reviewer.
(00:43):
He basically writes in hisprofile I love books.
Have been writing book reviewssince 2015.
I have worked for San FranciscoBook Review since March 2015,
reviewed over 300 books.
I have reviewed mainstreampublications along with
self-published books.
This is what Philip has to say.
This is what Philip has to say.
The broken whistle is athrilling expose, unveiling a
(01:06):
deep state bent on destroyingdissent and preserving its power
.
It is an unapologetic chronicleof one man's fight for justice,
a clarion call that thundersthrough the darkest corners of
power.
Prepare to be captivated byOrta's unflinching courage as he
(01:27):
peels back the layers ofdeception, exposing a broken
whistleblower system that hasforsaken its sacred duty.
He further states the truthmust be told is equal parts.
Memoir and government expose.
I'll repeat that again thetruth must be told is equal
parts.
Memoir and government expose.
And he closes his book reviewwith a very important statement
(01:50):
this proves to be a valuablebook in understanding how
intelligence agencies are runand often mismanaged.
Another professional reviewer isIndependent Book Review.
In this particular instance,this is what they had to say A
provocative memoir about doingthe right thing even when your
moral dilemma involves the deepstate.
(02:12):
They further add Orta's passionand dedication to what's right
leaps from the page.
His unique insight into why ourwhistleblower system needs
fixed is the big reason why thisbook remains so engaging.
And very important is theamount of detail in this book
where they say from hisUkrainian starting point, orta
(02:34):
then outlines his experiences inwar-torn areas of Iraq,
afghanistan and the Middle Eastfrom 2000 to 2019 to prove his
thesis that the system ofwhistleblowing is broken.
To prove so, he takes readersthrough a series of events
recognizable to anyone followingworld events, even from a
(02:54):
distance.
And now here's the third andfinal review.
We will go over.
This one is from Literary TitanReview.
They gave it five stars out offive.
The Broken Whistle by PedroIsrael Horta offers an
insightful and intenseexploration of the intricate
world of intelligence andpolitical dynamics.
Horta, casting himself as thecentral figure, stands out as a
(03:17):
significant personality in therealm of American intelligence
and politics.
The narrative insightfullyaddresses the corruption of the
whistleblowing process withinthe intelligence community, a
central theme that echoesthroughout the book.
They also say Orta's unfilteredand honest portrayal of events
makes the book compelling anddifficult to set aside.
(03:38):
His narrative is robust andsteadfast, providing readers
with a clear, informative andintimately personal journey
through his experiences.
The bravery displayed by Ortain revealing the more ominous
aspects of the intelligencecommunity and political
landscape is commendable.
He infuses each page with anintense realism, plunging the
(04:00):
reader into a critical period ofAmerican history.
The author exercises prudenceand discretion in handling
sensitive material, particularlyregarding the identities and
confidential information ofothers.
Orta adeptly navigates througha tangled network of allegations
, political maneuvering andensuing impeachment processes,
(04:21):
illuminating the largerimplications for American
democracy and the principle ofthe rule of law, which can at
times be unsettling to thereader.
And the last paragraph, thebroken whistle, is more than an
expose.
It is a discerning examinationof the mechanisms of power,
corruption, the pursuit of truthand justice.
Orta's work is a significantcontribution to literature.
(04:44):
For those intrigued by theinner workings of the
intelligence community, thecomplexities of political power
and the audacity required toconfront a system that often
suppresses dissent, his storyserves as a potent reminder of
the continual struggle fortransparency and accountability
at the highest levels ofauthority, at the highest levels
(05:05):
of authority.
So there you have it.
Professional book reviewers havespoken and they tell you
exactly what this book is.
It's part expose, part memoir.
The title tells you memoir of aCIA whistleblower is a tagline
by the author's name and thetitle provides obvious, clear
clues as far as what thenarrative entails.
In this particular case,specifically the Broken Whistle
(05:26):
A Deep State Run Amok title andsubtitle.
So the book is about the brokenwhistleblower process and
provides details of how thatprocess is broken and calling it
A Deep State Run Amok.
Now here's a clue to readingthis book.
Like any book, you reallycannot cut out parts of a book.
(05:49):
If it's in the book, it must beread.
I mean, the book has basicallya CIA disclaimer that you must
read.
It has an author's note and aprologue.
The CIA disclaimer is there bytheir request.
In order for me to publish thebook within the confines of the
(06:11):
law considering that I have anon-disclosure agreement and a
secrecy agreement with the CIA Imust submit the book for a
pre-publication review, and Idid so.
Now, every part of this book isin there for a reason.
Nothing can be missed.
The quotes are very specific.
The quotes are there to showthe reader certain aspects of
(06:31):
the book.
Immediately after the CIAdisclaimer, I use a quote
attributed to George Orwell,although it's unverified, and it
says in an age of universaldeceit, telling the truth is a
revolutionary act.
And that is it.
Truth Confronting lies with thetruth, revealing the truth that
(06:51):
is a fundamental theme in thisbook.
In the closing of the author'snote I write what follows is the
truth of what happenedPreceding that.
I have written this memoir withtransparency and without
self-censorship, to accuratelyconvey what I experienced.
And that leads me to theprologue, titled the Truth Must
(07:14):
Be Told, and it's got a greatquote from George Washington
that states Truth willultimately prevail where there
is pains to bring it to light.
Now here's an important part ofthis book that has to be
addressed the term deep state.
I immediately defined the termdeep state in the prologue and
(07:35):
it's very, very specific.
Reading from the book, from themoment political scientists
coined the term administrativestate after World War II, it was
clear that a bureaucraticbehemoth had taken root.
Today we know it by a morefitting name, the Deep State,
and I specifically call it outfor what it is, and it's
(07:58):
basically the United StatesNational Security Bureaucratic
State.
Now this is a book devoid ofconspiratorial nonsense.
Everything in this book isbasically first-hand material
that I witnessed.
I do provide some context byadding in stories of other
whistleblowers, but I use theirfirst-hand materials publicly
(08:20):
available and I cite them as faras where the sources can be
found.
Now the prologue tells you whyI wrote this book and in part,
here's a quote from thisprologue.
The evidence trail confirms thedeep state's sinners are side
One that won't hesitate totopple and ravage our
constitutional republic for aclandestine agenda.
(08:42):
If left unchecked, it will rotour nation to the core, sending
it rumbling into the ashes ofhistory, morphing our land into
a dictatorial bureaucracy willbecome a despicable oligarchy
that will force-feed itsmalevolent agenda to the masses,
rendering our hard-earnedconstitutional liberties
impotent.
A group of corrupt deep stateoperatives are running wild,
(09:06):
breaking laws and abusing theirpower, facing no consequences.
They aim to avoid all forms ofscrutiny, whether from within or
outside the organization.
Their method is to quash andannihilate any dissension or
opposition.
Our elected officials have letus down by failing to hold the
deep state accountable forviolating laws and abusing their
(09:27):
state power.
Many people have sufferedirreparable harm because of
their wicked actions.
I further add the survival ofour constitutional republic is
at stake.
This book is a clarion call foraction.
As I write, we must rise up asone to save our constitutional
republic from destruction andextinction.
(09:48):
This book should ignite a flamethat leads to corrective action
, with a heat that melts awaythe fear of reprisal from
tyranny and the abuse of statepower.
We must demand that ourgovernment fulfill its duty to
serve us, and we must do sothrough peaceful and lawful
means.
Continuing to read from myprologue, prepare to enter the
(10:09):
dark and dangerous world of thedeep state, where the
whistleblower protection processwas weaponized to take down a
sitting president.
In what amounted to a politicalhit job, a supposed
whistleblower was grantedspecial status, attention and
protection by sworn enemies ofPresident Trump.
Meanwhile, intelligencecommunity whistleblowers with
(10:30):
actual integrity faced viciousreprisals while Congress stood
idly by.
I hope that the truth presentedhere will ignite a fire in
readers and inspire folks to putan end to the tyranny of the
deep state.
It's crucial that we remainvigilant.
As President John Adams wrote,liberty once lost is lost
(10:51):
forever.
Let it not be said of us thatwe lost our liberties because we
failed to act boldly to defeattyranny.
If we do not act now to exposeand dismantle the deep state, we
risk losing everything we holddear.
Our constitution, our libertiesand our way of life are at
stake.
We must rally together todemand transparency,
accountability and reform, and Iclose my prologue with the
(11:16):
following what follows is theunvarnished truth and nothing
but the truth.
May it free us from theclutches of deep state tyranny.
In the process of writing afirst-hand account of my
experiences working at theCentral Intelligence Agency and
exposing the deep state, I alsowrote a memoir that is dedicated
(11:37):
to my daughter.
If you read at the verybeginning, it states I dedicate
this book to my daughter.
You are dearly loved.
I will always defend andprotect you always.
And there's a significantreason why I have done so.
One of the central themes ofthis book is the impact upon
families as far as reprisalstaken against whistleblowers.
(12:01):
It's not just only thewhistleblower that suffers, but
it's their families.
In this particular case, mydaughter has suffered much and
so has my ex-wife.
This basically has cost us asignificant separation where my
daughter lives in a foreigncountry.
My ex-wife went back to herforeign country and it ended our
marriage and sadly my daughteris the big loser in this dilemma
(12:26):
here where she has beenseparated from her father.
So so much for being accused ofbeing a misogist when
essentially I was speaking up todefend the rights of my ex-wife
and my daughter.
I would have been an idiot notto stand up to defend them
because they are flesh of myflesh, bone of my bone, and I
must rise up and defend mydaughter at all times and I will
(12:48):
always do so.
Now, as far as the structure ofthe book, it is somewhat of a
lengthy read, but if you takeout the appendix it's not so
much.
It's roughly about 390 pageswithout the appendix.
But I put the appendix in therebecause it definitely would add
some context to understand someof the legal issues, because in
(13:09):
part, as it says, governmentExposé, it is a book on
whistleblowing, andwhistleblowing is a legal matter
and there are laws that have tobe defined and explained.
Let's look at the appendix.
I start here with list ofprincipal characters, and it's
important for me to have thenames laid out so that the
(13:29):
reader can go back and refer tothem, because a lot of names are
used in this book the true name, individuals and fictional
characters.
Since I had to protect theidentities of former or current
CIA intelligence officials,officers, employees, contractors
, so forth, I ended up having touse fictional names.
I also have a glossary ofacronyms and abbreviations.
(13:53):
It's almost impossible to writea book about the military or
the US government without havingsome level of acronyms being
used.
Trying to explain or have along narrative on a specific
office or group or entity withinthe government would have even
(14:16):
made it a much longer book.
So it was much easier just touse the acronym and call it out
immediately what it is and referto it in the appendix, which I
do so Now.
As far as the legal aspects ofwhistleblowing, I provide what
is known as the US governmentethical conduct requirements.
I mean there are very strictguidelines of what government
(14:49):
employees are supposed to abusesof power, waste fraud,
significant and specificendangerment to public safety
and harassment issues.
I get into the federal EEOliability issues of what is a
federal equal employmentopportunity liability.
Then, more importantly, as faras the whistleblower protections
(15:10):
, that what is an intelligencecommunity protected disclosure,
a legal definition?
Then you know there's thepresidential policy directive 19
that mandates whistleblowerreprisal protections and
investigations and you know,throwing around some legal terms
without actually having thedefinition would be worthless to
the reader.
So one of the legalrequirements is to conduct
(15:31):
investigations to the fullestextent possible.
That is a legal term andthere's actually a legal
definition to the fullest extentpossible.
So I covered in the appendixand last but not least, let's go
over here something called thezero tolerance policy on
harassment.
The CIA prides itself in havinga zero tolerance policy on
harassment.
That turns out to be prettyletters on paper that are
(15:53):
worthless, because the fact ofthe matter is, when, in my case,
I had to put that to the test,I was immediately thrown out,
kicked out and basicallystripped of my clearance and
fired.
Now, as far as the rest of thestructure, I start with chapter
one titled WeaponizedWhistleblowing the Trump
impeachment, september 2019.
(16:15):
And again, remember that eachquote at the beginning of the
chapters are there for aspecific reason.
In this particular case, thequote that I have is by Immanuel
Kant Truth is the child of time.
Ere long she shall appear tovindicate thee.
Now, this is a very importantchapter because in the Trump
impeachment, a fakewhistleblower because that's
(16:36):
what he was and is was hailed asa hero, while, as this chapter
one tells and shows, the realwhistleblowers were basically
vilified as villains to bethrown out as yesterday's trash.
In this chapter, I provide veryspecific details as far as why
(16:57):
Vindman, sharamela, so forth,were really fake whistleblowers.
For example, the Department ofJustice Office of Legal Counsel
ruled that their so-calledwhistleblowing did not meet the
statute of the law, the mandatesof the law, the requirements of
the law as far as being aboutan intelligence activity under
the funding and authorizationjurisdiction of the Directorate
(17:21):
of National Intelligence or, forthat matter, even the Office of
Inspector General for theIntelligence Community.
Despite the allegations notmeeting the threshold of the law
, they were heralded as heroes,receiving immediate attention
and assistance, protection fromCongress, the Inspector Generals
and the media, and consequently, you know this led to the
(17:42):
impeachment of Trump andconsequently, you know this led
to the impeachment of Trump.
Now, speaking of theimpeachment of Trump, I must add
that I was the one who revealedto the public that this
so-called whistleblower processthe Intelligence Community
Whistleblower Protection Actprocess was actually modified
and changed, ironically justabout the time that these
(18:02):
allegations came out againstTrump.
As this chapter states and therest of the book, I actually
used the Intelligence CommunityWhistleblower Protection Act
numerous times.
In early 2017, actually aboutApril May 2017, I filed a series
of disclosures with theInspector General himself for
the intelligence community.
When I followed up two weekslater, three weeks later,
(18:26):
silence crickets nothing.
Apparently, they weresuppressed.
When I followed up again inJune, july.
Eventually, through an attorney, I had to find a workaround to
try to get some of thesedisclosures to Congress, and the
CIA Office of CongressionalAffairs got involved and they
(18:48):
tell me we don't pass all thosematerials to Congress.
So I really have no idea whatCongress got, if they got
anything.
On that note, I never receiveda response to my ICWPAs from the
Inspector General or, for thatmatter, a legitimate response
from Congress.
I was put in a situation where Ifollowed up and filed again a
(19:13):
second time a year later andthis time with a new Inspector
General at the Office ofInspector General for the
Intelligence Community.
I was told to refile them usingthe infamous Form 401 that
mandated specific first-handinformation.
If it was not first-handinformation, they would not
(19:35):
consider it a disclosure andthey would not file it at all.
Following the direction of theInspector General, I refiled
some disclosures in early 2019,four of them to be exact and
this time I get an immediateresponse from the Inspector
General for the intelligencecommunity.
They actually told me that,because I was no longer an
(19:59):
employee of the intelligencecommunity, I had no right or
standing to file any ICW PAs.
So, essentially, when I wasemployed and they had the
ability to process them, theyrefused to process my ICW PAs.
Meanwhile, when I was finallyfired, I get a response saying
(20:20):
sorry, you can't file them anylonger.
Now in the book, I provide somecontext as far as what these
allegations were that I actuallyfiled, and they were legitimate
, credible, firsthand pertainingto intelligence activities
intelligence funded activitiesunder the jurisdiction of the
intelligence community inspectorgeneral, as well as the
(20:42):
directorate of nationalintelligence.
So my point is realwhistleblowers like myself and I
name a few others in my bookJohn Reedy, jonathan Kaplan,
andrew Bakage and, mostimportantly, john Kiriakou we
were treated like yesterday'strash, where we were basically
discarded, receiving zero or noassistance from Congress and in
(21:05):
one case, john Kiriakou,basically prosecuted under
questionable conditions,instigated by director of CIA
John Brennan.
That basically cost him asignificant price.
He went to jail for, I believe,almost two years.
So the short story isintelligence community
(21:25):
whistleblower is beyond broken.
It becomes a tool for political.
Of how political opportunistswith their connections within
(21:50):
the intelligence communitybrazenly wield their power to
enact retaliatory measuresagainst whistleblowers, all
while enjoying the cheerleadingsupport of the media.
A late bears the alarmingabsence of consequences for
their actions, revealing asystem where accountability is a
mere illusion.
This failure to hold suchindividuals accountable further
(22:11):
perpetuates a lawless deep state, with Congress failing in its
duty to restore order and upholdthe principles of justice.
Justice.
Then the book proceeds to getinto the rest of my career at
the CIA, but prior to that, Ibring in my humble beginnings in
(22:34):
Miami, florida, from animmigrant family, to provide
people some perspectives as faras how I grew up, what motivated
me and what led me to speaktruth to power at the CIA and,
more importantly, to show thereader that I had a reliable,
steady, proven performancerecord of exemplary work in the
(22:54):
private sector in Miami, where Iworked for about 14 years in
perishable commodities.
So I did not go into the CIAhaving no work experiences, but
indeed I went into the CIA whatcould be considered a mid-career
hire, having proven workexperiences, to be able to enter
service for the government witha proven character and
(23:16):
performance, to ensure that Iwould be a productive member of
the US national security state,in this particular case, not
just a career bureaucrat, but anindividual that would go in and
do what is right.
Now for the next episode, Iwill go out through the
structure of the book, but Iwant to close with a very
(23:37):
important point here.
My book in some ways actuallymimics the book of one of the
Ukraine whistleblowers,particularly.
Alexander Vindman wrote a bookcalled here Right Matters An
American Story, and his book isactually a much lighter read
than my book.
He begins his book with hisstory as one of the
whistleblowers that led to theimpeachment of President Trump
(24:04):
and proceeds by basicallystarting from scratch chapter
two from scratch where he goesfrom his humble beginnings and
eventually his career in themilitary down into the point
where he eventually lands in theNational Security Council and
how he basically reports on whathe believed evidence is
wrongdoing.
But, as we know, the reality is, according to the Office of
(24:24):
Legal Counsel, he was neverreally a real whistleblower
defined by the law for theIntelligence Community
Whistleblower Protection Act.
Now his book is published by amajor publisher and is hailed as
a bestseller by the New YorkTimes.
Where here's what most peopledon't realize the New York Times
(24:46):
bestseller list is not actuallya list of bestselling books.
It's an editorial list of whatthe New York Times believes
should be a bestseller book,what they endorse as a good book
per their definition of goodbooks.
Now, unlike my book, it's alight read.
It's got little meat on thebones, shall we say, whereas I
(25:07):
was forced to put a lot of meaton the bones Since I'm not
considered to be a realwhistleblower by many on the
left.
I wanted to make sure that thebook had extensive details to
prove the point that I was alegitimate whistleblower, where
I reported what I reasonablybelieved evidenced wrongdoing,
fraud, waste, abuse of power,significant and specific
(25:29):
endangerment to public safetyand, for that matter, equal
employment opportunity lawviolations.
Now, unlike Vindman's book,mine is self-published.
However, I ensured that thisbook was edited by professionals
.
It went through a very rigorouseditorial process On my end
(25:55):
countless hours of just editingand editing, and editing and
editing, until it was finallyprime for an experienced copy
editor to get the book and putthe finishing touches to it, to
turn it into a final book fitfor printing.
And in this case I ensured thatI found the right copy editor,
an individual with more than 20years experience editing these
type of books, who had actuallyedited an intelligence memoir
(26:19):
that was a very highly regardedbook, and, for that matter, also
other individuals and formermilitary officers.
So the copy editor did anoutstanding job to turn it into
a final manuscript fit forpublication.
But I did not stop there.
I took it a step further.
I took it to a proofreader whodid a deep dive, proofreading
(26:42):
line by line.
So the book actually wasmeticulously edited,
meticulously proofread and, likeany book, it's not going to be
perfect.
There may be a few typos or afew minor errors, but there are
so few of them.
If there are any errors, we'retalking about maybe half a dozen
, and you would have to bereading it with a kind of a
(27:05):
microscopic look to it to beable to find them.
So let's close here and we willpick up the next time on the
rest of the book, the layout, asfar as why I wrote it the way I
wrote it and, in comparison,some of the latest memoirs,
because there's three othermemoirs that I researched and
looked into and the truth isthat if you were to compare my
(27:28):
book to the three otherintelligence memoirs that came
out recently, they're verycomparable as far as length,
structure, the formatting andhow the narrative evolved.
So thank you for listening andI look forward to coming back
online here and producinganother episode on the why of
(27:49):
the broken whistle, deep StateRun Amok and the details as far
as why it was structured, theway it was structured.
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