WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee is looking into why the man who handles whistleblower complaints at U.S. spy agencies has been placed on administrative leave.

Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa worries that it is part of a plan to weaken a program that helps intelligence workers report waste, fraud and abuse.

Dan Meyer, director of the Intelligence Community Whistleblowing and Source Protection program, was put on leave late last month and escorted out of his offices.

Intelligence officials won't say why Meyer was put on leave, but insist they support intelligence community whistleblowers programs. Whistleblower groups fear Meyer is being sidelined and his program is being weakened to reduce its effectiveness.