"It discouraged leaks on topics like budgetary waste, procurement fraud, or policy errors by treating them as potential "threat indicators" if disclosed unauthorizedly.
1. Employees discussing unclassified audit findings on wasteful spending (e.g., $10 billion+ in Afghanistan reconstruction fraud per SIGAR reports) with outsiders could trigger reports. In practice, this chilled tips on non-security waste, like the 2014 revelation of $43 million gas station in Afghanistan (unclassified but embarrassing).
2. 2014 VA employees hesitated to leak unclassified data on manipulated wait lists (causing patient deaths due to policy failures). Initial tips came anonymously, but post-ITP, a 2015 VA OIG report noted reduced internal reporting due to fear of being labeled "insiders."
3. 2015 Gold King Mine spill (policy failure releasing toxins) saw initial internal tips stifled; a 2016 EPA OIG audit blamed overbroad monitoring for reducing whistleblower media contacts on waste (e.g., $1.2 billion Animas River cleanup overruns).
4. IRS Targeting Scandal (2013): Internal Revenue Service (IRS) under ITP scrutiny saw employees wary of leaking unclassified policy missteps (e.g., improper scrutiny of tea party groups, a failure in neutral administration)."
