By JW August / Special to the OB Rag
In the Trenches–
The term “fog of war” is an apt description of what’s going on now in Washington.
Confusion, fear and paranoia stalk the halls of the federal bureaucracy, often maligned and rarely appreciated these days. So says a long time source whom I’ll name “S” who holds a senior leadership position with a large federal agency.
“It’s important that Americans know what is going on” says “S” and says he/she is not motivated by belonging to any political party; the skin in the game for “S” is having served this country for more than 25 years of federal and military service. “S” worked in San Diego in the past but has been in D.C. now for over ten years.
I will not identify this person but do trust he/she’s knowledge of the situation on the ground. “S” has provided insider information to me in the past for other stories I produced or reported . “S” is currently actively communicating with senior level managers in other agencies.
Let me tell you what “S” is telling me-
Trump’s team has gotten hold of the voting files and are looking over the voting records of civil service employees –how did they vote? Looking for loyalists or perceived threats to his administration.
“They are looking for low hanging fruit” says “S”. The Office of Personnel Management has requested a list of every “FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ON PROBATION AND UNDER EXCEPTED SERVICE”. ‘Excepted’ refers to those who are disabled veterans, or disabled individuals who use a walker, wheel chair, partially blind or use a service animal at work or have other disabilities under the Schedule A law.
There are more than 30,000 employees in this category, they are not protected by unions, they can be fired without cause. “They do not know this is happening,” says “S” Only senior leadership has been advised of this request.
“In senior level leadership meetings, they are being told do not say anything about the buyout offer to staff.” The administration is actively monitoring employees’ emails, tablets, and chat. “Employees are scared” says “S” “but we can’t meet with them.”
The Fork in the Road Letter
The so-called “The Fork in the Road Letter” sent out to employees, the deferred resignation offer, has been followed by others “pushing employees to agree to resign says “S”. This happens around 6pm every night since the first “Fork” email.
Stay tuned for more.
What’s comical with Musk and the Treasury dept., he tweets, “This is the critical battle to restore power to the PEOPLE from the massive unelected bureaucracy!” , but yet he’s not elected as well. Beware of this gov’t Treasury issue. If any payments stop, a default would shock the financial markets.
Scary! Although after the last days I don’t doubt anything crazy that is coming out of Washington – How can they determine “how people have voted?” You can easily find out how they registered, and if they voted, but not how they voted. Am I missing something?
I would suspect if they are registered Dem or Rep, they would probably have voted for that party. Besides, do you think they care about nuisances like the truth?
I wrote that line. Judging from a couple comments, some folks were confused by the language…….I assumed people knew that voting records held by the registrar do show party affiliation not who you voted for. Never assume
Sorry for the confusion…and thanks
Wow, this is disturbing. And I’m confused, as I get that records would show whether one was a registered voter and when/or how many/which elections on voted in, but HOW/WHO one voted for? Do they have access to that?
I’ll check with the author. (BTW, retired, have you received my personal emails of late?)
Bob and Retired botanist – I’m pretty sure your suppositions are right. When you send in your ballot there is almost nothing that shows how you voted only that you voted. But that’s the point–“they” do not care about the truth but they do want to scare everyone into doing things against their best interests. Continue to try to get good information and then resist. Second, many more are “accepted service” than just disabled and that includes attorneys and doctors and many scientists. I spent many years as an attorney with the federal government in general practice and generally accepted service employees get civil service due process protections immediately if they are veterans or within one or two years (I can’t remember exactly). Again, the point is fear to drive people to do things they wouldn’t do otherwise.
This is very irresponsible reporting, unfortunately. All the author had to do was a tiny bit of research to know that it is not (yet) possible for anyone to learn how someone else has voted in the past. False reporting does not help the cause of the resistance to Trump. I have desperately been trying to find grassroots opposition to the Trump Reich here in San Diego, but the groups that have formed in the past all seem inactive now. How can ordinary folks fight back? Anyone with ideas about this please respond here.
They can certainly determine which party they are in, eh? So, please, don’t stir the mess yourself.
I’m the irresponsible reporter—here is what said-
“Trump’s team has gotten hold of the voting files and are looking over the voting records of civil service employees –how did they vote? Looking for loyalists or perceived threats to his administration.”
You misread the language. Where does it say finding voting records going back years? With a tiny bit of research you can find out what party someone voted for on registrar of voters websites in California. In addition, I suspect the most recent voting information available would work just fine for the president’s purposes. I don’t think they need a 10 year record of voting to fire someone. As to wanting to get more involved I suggest you read the OBrag diligently
FYIno reporter is perfect and one mistake does not make a reporter irresponsible. I don’t know what you do for a living but I have made many mistakes in my career but its not from a lack of trying to get it right.
Although they can’t check voting records, it’s easy to believe that they’re checking registration records, as those are a matter of public record. This could be a progressive way to eliminate anti-Trump civil servants and give Trump full control over our federal agencies. I could see this method also being used against employees who take the deferred resignation and are registered Dems. Their position will be eliminated long before the 8 months of pay and benefits have been given. Among my friends, whether you think that DT and EM will make good on their promise to give civil servants who resign 8 months of pay & benefits while on leave seems to depend on whether you’re a Trump supporter. It could well be that this promise will be broken depending on your political party. Then this method will be applied to those who remain, again eliminating positions being held by registered Dems to the extent that they are able to do so. First they came for the excepted service and then all civil servants. After this, Trump will be able to do even more illegal things with essentially no checks and balances, given the current make up of Congress and the Supreme Court. Even remain in power after 4 years.
I asked “S” about your response Jane. Here is he/she take
Biggest concern is the budget. We are under a continuing resolution and there is no promise of money past March. Additionally, the money to cover the salaries past March has to be earmarked in the New resolution. Finally, there is NO law that allows an employee to be placed on an 8 month administrative leave status.
Thank you for your comment….your concern is warranted In the case of my story–registrar of voters has information about citizens and what party they are registered with. I think one can conclude that if you are a registered Republican the odds are you voted for Trump. I don’t know the entire story about what they are using this information for but but i would think this gives them a shopping list of targets.
This is a coup. On-going, right now. Not only by the son of a Birthright Baby but by a Apartheid-raised Fascist billionaire illegal immigrant (based on his original temporary Visa conditions that he broke) who snorts Ketamine and posts tweets all night long that he put into power over the US budget. And he ISN’T a citizen! WTF?
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/2/3/2301051/-This-Is-What-A-Coup-Looks-Like
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And his daughter says this:
https://www.rsn.org/001/musks-daughter-flames-her-dad-delusional-and-grubby-little-control-freak.html
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This isn’t going to end well…if it ever does end. Why are the Neoliberal DNC democrats thinking that Trump will be out of office in 4 years? Are they just stupid or what?
sealintheSelkirks
Actually, he has dual SA, Canadian and U.S. citizenship. Became a U.S. citizen in 2002
He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2002. With that he holds dual citzen ship in SA, Canada and The U.S.
Look deeper. He broke the conditions that were attached to his US Visa which, if he was a different skin tone, would have been enough to get him a denied application for naturalization. In other words, he lied on his visa application to get into the US in the first place.
Imagine an African guy doing that, or a South American. How would they be treated?
And that isn’t dual citizenship. It’s triple (didn’t know there was such a thing!).
sealintheSelkirks
A quote by Martin Niemöller:
“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”
Will you speak out and decry this fascist government before they come for you? Or will there be no one left to speak for you by the time they get to you?