Carroll, the woman’s attorney, said she had been given protected whistleblower status before speaking with Congress. But those familiar with the Whistleblower Protection Act cautioned that such protections can be limited, especially at the CIA.

Tom Devine, a longtime whistleblower rights advocate who is legal director for the Government Accountability Project, said CIA employees don’t have the same rights as other federal employees because of national security concerns.

“You can blow the whistle, but only within the intel community,” Devine said. “So when she went to the police, she was very much on her own. It’s an obnoxious loophole.”

Such a classic - "You can only complain to the people who won't do anything"