Despite thousands of recent print, broadcast and Internet reports about WikiLeaks, the renegade Web site’s alleged whistleblowing activities and certain documents it has “published,” qui tam remains the first name in whistleblower; “journalist” remains the first name in publishing; and Julian Assange is neither.
Under federal and state false claims acts, whistleblowers — known legally as “qui tam relators” from a Latin phrase first used in 13th century English law — reveal “inside” or otherwise secret information in an effort to expose corruption and fraud involving government purchases and contracts.
