Final answer:
The agencies most likely to be harmed by agent improprieties are those in regulatory or oversight roles, such as the OPM, MSPB, CIA, NSA, EPA, and CFPB, which could face significant fallout due to their crucial functions in government operations. Whistleblower protections play a key role in safeguarding against wrongdoing in these agencies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Agencies that are most likely to be harmed by agent improprieties include those with significant oversight and regulatory responsibilities. Examples include the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the National Security Agency (NSA), the Bureau of Consumer Protection, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
In the case of misconduct within these agencies, the fallout can be substantial given their crucial roles in maintaining government integrity, national security, financial regulation, and environmental standards. Whistleblower Protection Acts such as those passed in 1989 and 2012, have been vital in supporting federal employees to report wrongdoing without fear of reprisal.
Nonetheless, internal bureaucracies can resist criticism, and the personal cost to whistleblowers can be significant. It is also worth noting agencies like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) which oversee industries prone to abusive practices, and the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC), which has a history of investigating subversive influences, both demonstrating the potential reach and impact of improprieties on agency operations.