On December 15, 2008, Michael Isikoff revealed in Newsweek that Thomas M. Tamm disclosed to reporters Onfor The New York Times what he knew about the existence of the Bush Administration’s warrantless wiretapping program.
Isikoff wrote, “Tamm’s story is in part a cautionary tale about the perils that can face all whistleblowers, especially those involved in national-security programs. Some Americans will view him as a hero who (like Daniel Ellsberg and perhaps Mark Felt, the FBI official since identified as Deep Throat) risked his career and livelihood to expose wrongdoing at the highest levels of government. Others—including some of his former colleagues—will deride Tamm as a renegade who took the law into his own hands and violated solemn obligations to protect the nation's secrets.”
Whether people view Tom Tamm is a hero or a criminal, it is clear that Tom Tamm acted out of a sense of moral obligation. Isikoff quoted Asa Hutchinson, the former U.S. attorney in Little Rock and under secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who is assisting in Tamm’s defense, as saying, “When I looked at this, I was convinced that the action he took was based on his view of a higher responsibility…It reflected a lawyer’s responsibility to protect the rule of law.”
About the Thomas Tamm Legal Defense Fund
The Thomas Tamm Legal Defense Fund was formed to help defray the legal costs for Thomas Tamm and his family.
All money collected will be deposited with the trustee for the Thomas Tamm Legal Defense Fund and will be disbursed, as appropriate, to the legal team representing Mr. Tamm for professional services as the services are rendered.
How to Contribute
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If you would like to contribute by check, please make checks payable to the Thomas Tamm Legal Defense Fund and mail them to:
Thomas Tamm Legal Defense Fund
c/o Bank of Georgetown
5236 44th Street, N.W.
Washington D.C. 20015
There are no contribution limits and contributions are not tax deductible. Contributors to the Trust should consult their own tax advisors regarding any potential gift tax consequences.
About Thomas Tamm
Tom Tamm has dedicated 27 years to serving the public as an attorney. He began his career as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Montgomery County, Maryland, where, for 12 years, he specialized in prosecuting violent crime. He then spent 5 years as a lawyer for the United States Department of Justice in the Capital Case Unit. In that capacity he had the privilege of meeting with many of the families of 9/11 victims. Tom then joined DOJ’s Office of Intelligence Policy and Review (OPIR). He spent one year at OIPR before serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Columbia.
Tom has received several awards, including the prestigious John Marshall Award from the Department of Justice for Outstanding Achievement in Support of Litigation.
Tom’s service to the United States is a part of his family heritage; his father was an Assistant Director of the FBI, and his uncle was an Assistant Director of the FBI and later, a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
Tom is an alumnus of the Landon School, Brown University, and Georgetown University Law School.