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Video: Sen. Tim Kaine Says “How far this Grand Old Party has come from the lofty and noble sentiments of its founder, when it is putting at the head of the federal workforce somebody whose desire is to traumatize federal workers!”

By
lowkell
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4

Per his office, “Senator Tim Kaine join[ed] his colleagues in holding the Senate floor all night in opposition to the confirmation of Trump’s Office of Management and Budget nominee Russ Vought.” See below for video of Sen. Kaine’s 35-minute speech, in which he singled out Vought’s stated desire to “traumatize” federal workers. As Kaine asked, “Who talks like that?” Sen. Kaine then talked for a while about the work of dedicated, patriotic, hardworking federal employees – including those who shared their stories with him – and “about what having a traumatized workforce means.” Sen. Kaine also related how upset, anxious, upset, depressed, scared, etc. federal workers are at this point.

In short, federal workers – who did absolutely nothing wrong and a lot of things right! – are now “under siege” by the Trump/Musk assault on them, and it’s absolutely disgusting. As Sen. Kaine said, “An intentional strategy of traumatizing federal employees produces stories like this.” Kaine also notes: “And the thing about it is, Russell Vought was not only the architect of the funding freeze, but now he and others are responsible for following the court order, for god’s sake! The court order said they had to resume payments…these are appropriated funds…there’s no legal authority for [the president] to hold them back…the Administration won’t even follow a court order!” So, Sen. Kaine concluded:

“…under these circumstances, there is no way that I or any of my colleagues can stand here and cast a yes vote for somebody who has declared their intention is to traumatize federal employees…Who talks like that? Who talks like that? That is the professed goal of this individual who has been nominated this most-important post, and there is no circumstance under which I can cast a yes vote for someone harboring that kind of resentment….Abraham Lincoln would NEVER have thought to say, ‘I want to traumatize you, I want you to not go to work because you are viewed as the villain.’  How far this Grand Old Party has come from the lofty and noble sentiments of its founder, when it is putting at the head of the federal workforce somebody whose desire is to traumatize federal workers!”

Exactly. Now, we just need a few Republicans to show some courage and…oh yeah, we’re screwed. 🙁

UPDATE 11:16 am – The following is from Sen. Kaine’s office…

“My colleagues have spoken on the floor about a particular statement of Mr. Vought’s that I examined him about fairly aggressively during the Budget Committee Hearing. In the course of a speech, he said, ‘I want federal employees to be traumatized. I want to put them in trauma. I want them to come to work—to not want to come to work—because they know that they are increasingly viewed as the villain. Now, who talks like that? I mean, who talks like that? Is there a single manager or leader or organizational chief that we admire who believes that their mission, their happiness, their glee, their purpose is to make their workforce feel traumatized? No we would never celebrate a leader of that kind,” said Kaine.

“What I want to do in my time on the floor tonight is talk a little bit about these federal employees and what having a traumatized workforce means… What I’ve heard from Virginians is just in the week since the funding pause order went into place—something that was masterminded by Russell Vought—federal employees. Yesterday, I decided after hearing stories from federal employees, to launch a website, a resource where federal employees could share with anonymity guaranteed… I thought what I would do tonight is, I’ve just taken 18 of these stories, from the federal employees that have just once in in the last 24 hours, of the hundreds that have been submitted, and I just want to read some to you, to tell you about who these people are who Mr. Vought wants to be traumatized. Who these people are that Mr. Vought wants to personally make feel as if they are the villains,” Kaine continued.

Then, Kaine shared various stories he has collected from federal workers about how the Trump Administration’s actions have harmed them and threatened their ability to deliver essential services for the American people, including:

  • A federal employee working for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) who wrote, “After two extremely painful miscarriages, I am now 34 weeks pregnant with my first child. Since my husband works as a lawyer for the EPA, what should have been a joyful time in our lives now feels like a dystopian hellscape and we are very afraid for our future and financial security. We are just hoping to have health insurance at this point for when I give birth but even that feels uncertain. I swore an oath and believe in the work that USAID does. I believe that it makes American stronger, safer, and more prosperous, as Secretary Rubio is calling for, and I will supporting the Agency until they boot me from the system. God help us all.”
  • A federal employee working for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services who explained, “I am married and pregnant. I am the breadwinner. A woman. I am a homeowner. I pay taxes. I took an oath and I love my job. The daily fear tactics and targeting of federal employees has uprooted my life. I no longer feel safe going on any kind of family vacation, making any big purchases or doing anything because everyday I wonder will I have a job.”
  • A federal employee working for the National Science Foundation (NSF) who said, “The opportunity to give back and support the next generation of U.S. based scientists was a dream fulfilled, and I am terrified that I will be fired as soon as Friday with no protections or severance. The fair compensation and flexible schedule let’s my spouse work as a teacher, and she is so great at her job. But that will not pay the mortgage.”
  • A federal employee working for USAID who warned, “The attack on USAID lacks intelligence and foresight. China and Russia are filling the vacuum, outspending the US and deepening partnerships with our allies, who feel abandoned. This is creating permanent damage, and undoing decades of progress in a few days. This does the opposite of making America stronger, safer, and more prosperous.”
  • A federal employee working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture who explained, “These last few weeks have been hell for us federal workers. I come to work with a pit in my stomach. I am a probationary employee, so will probably be the first to go during a RIF. They have left us in the dark while constantly terrorizing us with threatening, passive aggressive messages, and half legal deals to resign. I fear for my job, but I fear more for my country.”
  • A federal employee working for the U.S. Department of Transportation who wrote, “I am frightened about my position. I’m a single income household and am convinced no one has my back. Congress has been pretty much silent, and the news has gained very little traction nationwide.”
  • A federal employee working for the U.S. Department of Defense who said, “As soon as this administration took office it felt like federal workers were under siege. They began with their flurry of executive orders and memos, they put Elon Musk (whom no one elected, whom is not a federal employee but yet has huge contracts for other areas with the government) in charge of “handling” the potential mass layoffs of federal workers.”
  • A federal employee working at the General Services Administration who explained, “…the disregard for union contracts is deeply concerning and undermines the commitments made to the workforce. Many of my talented and hardworking colleagues have been living in fear for weeks, facing uncertainty they do not deserve. This unlawful mistreatment not only undermines their dedication but also creates an environment of instability and anxiety that no employee should have to endure.”
  • A federal employee working at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) who wrote, “My husband and I are both federal employees and we are both on probation. We also have student loan debts and under the public service loan forgiveness program. If we lose our jobs because we are on probation, we will lose the ability to have our payments to [Public Service Loan Forgiveness] counted, we will not be able to pay for childcare and we will lose our apartment.”
  • A federal employee working at DHS who warned, “truly believe a strong, healthy workforce of civilian servants is vital for a strong, healthy America. Our government has a duty to protect its citizens. This – to me – includes making sure peoples basic needs are met, be it healthcare, food, housing, education, etc. The private sector is not taking on this obligation.”
  • A federal employee who said, “I’ve served under different administrations, Republican and Democrat, and been proud to do so… The last 2 weeks have been a nightmare.”
  • A federal employee who wrote, “Since inauguration, times have been hell for us because every day is loaded with uncertainty regarding the future state of our contract, work, and our federal counterparts we work daily with. To this day, every work day is filled with dread and anxiety.”
  • A federal contractor working for USAID who explained, “In the past week, I have experienced near everyone in my company get placed on furlough. Beyond the fact that we were all working to make international development more impactful, and the fact that the US Company we have invested so much time in may never come back from this, we are all without salary and uncertain for the future.”
  • A federal employee working for a small independent agency who wrote, “I am a probationary employee, meaning my name is on a short list to fire. I was hired under Schedule A — persons with disabilities, so my name is on a list. I feel like I am being threatened by the very institutions that were created to safeguard the principles of truth, compassion, respect…”
  • A federal employee who wrote, “Today, I woke up to an email saying we had a restraining order, tied to Trump’s EOs, that would limit how we’d disburse our grants. Since the EOs were vaguely defined to begin with, this could be a witch hunt for all kinds of programs and grants we give out.”
  • A federal employee who said, “I’m a senior human resource professional in the Department of the Interior. I’m on daily calls with Departmental HR leaders who receive direction from OPM. Today leadership mentioned that their coordination was with DOGE “employees” rather than with actual OPM employees. These DOGE employees have full access to our USA Staffing hiring system, which includes personally identifiable information for ALL applicants to any position in DOI. It is unclear what kind of clearance these individuals have, if any, and what authority they have to even access this system.”

Another one, from an HHS employee:

“After working first as a contractor, I transitioned to a competitive career permanent position. It’s taken me years to get to this point. After graduating with a bachelor and master’s degree, I faced competition from people returning to work after having been laid off during a recession. I’m married and pregnant. I’m the breadwinner, a woman, a homeowner. I pay taxes. I took an oath and I love my job. The daily fear tactics and targeting of federal employees has uprooted my life. I no longer feel safe going on a vacation, making purchases or big purchases or doing anything, because every day I wonder if I’ll have a job. What’s happening is wrong? I’m pregnant with my first child. I didn’t do anything wrong! What did I do wrong to deserve this? Working for the federal government is a dream. I was sold an American dream – graduate from High School, go to college, get an advanced degree, get married, buy a home, have a baby, all in that order. I did everything I was supposed to do and now myself and over a million other people are caught up in a political firestorm that we didn’t ask for. Tell me why am I being punished? What did I do wrong? When will they be satisfied? When we kill ourselves from depression for not being able to provide for our families? I suffer from anxiety and depression already. I can tell you, this is enough to push a regular person over the edge. What more for somebody who battles with their mental health? Why does no one care? Why should what I earn be ripped away from me? Why do millions deserve for our worlds to fall apart? Every day my mind goes through what is happening and all the consequences that could fall upon me. It’s unsafe for my health, my baby’s health and my family. I ask for compassion. And I want people to know that we’re hard workers, we are regular people, we are humans who are employed by the federal government. Please do something!”

Thursday News: “Trump rescinds $4B in US pledges for UN climate fund” as “Earth Sets Another Heat Record”; “The Madness of Donald Trump”; “Republicans Lose Their Minds After Democrats Try to Subpoena Elon Musk”; “Youngkin joins Trump, backs order meant to ban trans women from women’s sports”

By
lowkell
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16

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, February 6. Good to see pro-democracy/anti-authoritarian folks starting to get out in the streets and peacefully protest. Also, it looks like local Democratic committee meetings in Arlington and Chesterfield this week have been PACKED, as have town halls held by Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA08), Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-VA07), Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA10), etc. – another excellent sign; let’s keep it going!

Video: Sen. Mark Warner Says “I thought the pace of assault was pretty heavy last week. If anything, it’s picked up this week.”

By
lowkell
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29

See below for video and a few highlights from Sen. Mark Warner’s press availability this afternoon – lots to talk about, that’s for sure!

  • “I thought the pace of assault was pretty heavy last week. If anything, it’s picked up this week.”
  • “Even my friend Marco Rubio, who is now Secretary of  State, when he was in the Senate advocated for increasing federal relief funding. We often talk about Sudan, where there’s more people die every day than Ukraine and Gaza combined, and yet we spent a year trying to open up relief to folks under assault and we’ve now even got literally medicine rotting – American paid for medicine rotting – because we’ve cut off all of that assistance. I believe it’s illegal. I believe it is morally wrong. It is also against our national security. And we’re going to continue to put as as much pressure as possible to try to bring some sunlight to this process.”
  • “Elon Musk and his gang should not be defunding programs by name on the basis of a tweet. And unfortunately, that seems to be where we’re headed…what appears to be, in the the press, a 25-year-old with no experience potentially manipulating the Treasury payment files and we can’t get an answer on that yet “
  • “We’ve seen this buyout offer put out to our federal employees, which I believe is illegal. And let me assure you, there’s no money the budget. Matter of fact, our funding for the federal government runs out March 14th, so federal employees who take this sham offer have no assurance that they’ll get paid…” 
  • “Back on the national security side, this again I believe illegal, non-paid-for offer went out to all the CIA employees. And it just boggles the mind…I’m sure Elon Musk and his crowd don’t know that it takes a year and a half to get a CIA clearance to go into the agency. It takes years to be trained. To somehow offer across-the-board buyout offer will weaken the United States of America real time…”
  • “I appeal to folks across the state, if you are community leader or other people need to stand up and speak out. I hear from some local leaders, I hear from businesses, well if they just keep their heads low, maybe this will pass by. This is not a time to keep your heads low. This is such an indiscriminate attack on rule of law, on our nation’s payment systems, on our nation’s privacy and our nation’s law enforcement, that if you’ve got a time to raise your voice, it’s now “
  • “Remember we’re talking about Elon Musk, the wealthiest man in the world, who’s calling for eliminating these foreign aid programs, which frankly the whole foreign aid budget is a fraction of his personal net worth. Elon Musk who has ties to China – his largest Tesla factory is there, he gets most of the batteries from China. He’s never said a bad word about Chinese leadership, yet he’s criticized American and European leadership virtually on a daily basis. For us not to know who are working on this DOGE task force, it violates every operating principle around keeping our nation’s secrets safe, about trying to protect the payment flows, the idea that they are in looking at all of the Treasury payments down to the individual level…”
  • “Where is the leadership of the banking community to say, we don’t want the payment system of America being manipulated? Let’s get these DOGE kids up in front; they ought to be identified, we ought to know their records, we ought to know if they are have even classification review. And if they don’t want to do that entirely, they ought to at least do it in a classified setting. But we’ve got nothing. This is a group of folks run amuck. And we are all going to be tested now, whether we’re going to stand by rule of law or going to allow…potentially the dismantling of  our national government.”
  • “I think that men and women who serve our country in arms, in the defense world, the fact is they are more representative of minorities than the general population. I know in many cases our African-American population is about 10%, 11% in the country, I believe that in the military in some branches of the service it gets as high as 20%. We’ve seen for example in the Latino community, a huge number of folks who sign up as defenders of our country in the military, the Army being a…path to the middle class. I think it is disrespectful and outrageous that Donald Trump is trying to change American history and let’s face it, whitewash it, by taking out respect for Dr King or recognizing the contribution of  a whole lot of folks across our country that from different backgrounds that make up our Armed Forces. I think this does nothing to strengthen our country; if anything, that kind of effort to whitewash history I think will weaken our country…we’re having a hard enough time as it is recruiting the right men and women to to do these jobs. If it appears that  the military, which in many ways was a path towards the middle class, particularly for minorities in America, is now not going to be as friendly to those Americans, I think it weakens our country “
  • “I can tell you the amount of pressure that has been brought to bear on my Republican Senate friends who were willing to vote against or thought about voting against the Bobby Kennedys or the Tulsi Gabbards or the Russell Voughts, it has been unprecedented. And at some point I hope some of them will speak out with the level of detail that I know, I think people would no matter how strong a Republican or MAGA supporter you may be, I think people would be repulsed at the kind of threats that are being made.”
  • ” I think it’s important for people to speak out and speak up. I hope that the demonstrations though will focus on where the challenge is – let’s convince some of our Republican friends to stand up…They had a lot of folks protesting at Tim Kaine and my office the other day. I hope they’ll protest at Republican members….”
  • “The only way we stop this lawless action is to speak up and speak out and say this is not why Donald Trump got hired. He got hired promising that he was going to try to lower grocery prices. And instead, he’s attacking our workforce, he’s attacking programs for the most vulnerable, he’s going off and making irresponsible claims that somehow America is going to pick up the cost and potentially send troops to Gaza  – that’s wacky. All that would do is let off the hook wealthy countries in that region like Saudi Arabia and the  who ought to help on the rebuilding, let alone what it would say to the rest of the world about the 2 million Palestinians who live in Gaza. This is the height of irresponsibility. If this is what you signed up for, then you’re getting it. If you signed up for what you thought was going to be a focus on lowering inflation, bringing down grocery costs and making America safer, this is not what is playing out and we’re only on day 18.”

Video: In Richmond, 100s of Protesters Chant “‘Stop the Coup’ in protest of Donald Trump’s flurry of executive actions and Elon Musk’s unprecedented access to federal government systems”

By
lowkell
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0

Great job by VCU Capital News Service/The Commonwealth Times reporter Andrew Kerley covering the rally earlier today at the Virginia state capitol, where “hundred of protesters [were] chanting ‘stop the coup’ in protest of Donald Trump’s flurry of executive actions and Elon Musk’s unprecedented access to federal government systems.” Also, check out Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington) talking about how he’s the “first Latino Democrat ever elected to the VA House of Delegates [and] I have 14 family members who are going to be deported if this president’s unconstitutional orders are allowed to move forward.” Del. Lopez also noted that Trump’s assault on federal workersis jeopardizing “jobs and livelihoods and homes…because of this president’s illegal acts.” Just appalling, and all the more reason to fight back, including peaceful public protest.

 

 

VA Senate, House Dems Call Out Youngkin, Sears, Miyares For Working “to implement Trump’s extremist agenda into Virginia, disregarding the well-being of families across the Commonwealth.””

By
lowkell
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0

See below for a press release from the VA Senate Democratic Caucus, as well as a photo by journalist Tyler Englander, from today’s VA Senate and House Democrats’ press conference in front of the General Assembly, “call[ing] on Governor Glenn Youngkin, Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, and Attorney General Jason Miyares to put their political affiliations aside and stand up to the President for their constituents.” The bottom line, as Sen. Mamie Locke put it:

“Instead of protecting Virginians, Governor Glenn Youngkin, Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, and Attorney General Jason Miyares are prioritizing political loyalty over the parental rights and personal freedoms they so often tout—but rarely put into practice. Their goal is clear: to implement Trump’s extremist agenda into Virginia, disregarding the well-being of families across the Commonwealth.”

Disgraceful.

ICYMI: Senate and House Democrats Press Conference: The President or Virginia?

Richmond, V.A. — In case you missed it, Senate and House of Delegates Democrats gathered in front of the Virginia State Capitol to call on Governor Glenn Youngkin, Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, and Attorney General Jason Miyares to put their political affiliations aside and stand up to the President for their constituents.

On Wednesday, February 5, 2025, Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell and Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Mamie E. Locke, along with House Democratic leadership, stood side by side to highlight the Virginians directly affected by the new far-right federal government.

Here are the words heard across Virginia today:

”Instead of protecting Virginians, Governor Glenn Youngkin, Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, and Attorney General Jason Miyares are prioritizing political loyalty over the parental rights and personal freedoms they so often tout—but rarely put into practice. Their goal is clear: to implement Trump’s extremist agenda into Virginia, disregarding the well-being of families across the Commonwealth,” Senator Mamie E. Locke continues, “Rolling back over 60 years of progress isn’t just a policy decision—it’s a direct assault on every American who has ever fought for a fair shot in this country. It’s a gut punch to communities that bled, marched, and legislated their way into spaces they were once barred from. Let’s be clear: this was never just about getting a seat at the table. It was about ensuring that the people at the table actually reflect America—all of America. Not just the privileged few. Not just the powerful. And certainly not just white men.”

Senator Mamie E. Locke delivering remarks as Senate and House Democrats stand united.

“I’m still disappointed in our Governor’s response to this chaos and instability, particularly to the ongoing hiring freeze assault on the dignity of the federal employees of our state…. We are one of the largest states with federal employment in the country… We have 2 millions to rely on Medicaid for their healthcare, mostly children, the elderly, and low income working adults. Senate Democrats spent years in this capital fighting to expand Medicaid to reduce the number of uninsured Virginia to zero. Now, this is all at risk because Governor Youngkin is backing his political party and his political ambition and not his people, the people of Virginia. Senate and House Democrats are going to the mat to fight for Medicaid recipients.” said Senator Scott Surovell.

Senator Scott Surovell sending a clear message to Virginia Republican Leadership.

 

Video: Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA11) Moves to Subpoena Elon Musk; Oversight Committee Republicans Vote It Down

By
lowkell
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3

Clearly, House Republicans, who hold the majority unfortunately, are NOT going to do their constitutional duty or fulfill their oaths of office, but instead are going to be a rubber stamp for whatever illegal, unconstitutional and destructive things Donald Trump, Elon Musk, etc. are doing and/or plan to do. It’s hard to maintain any sort of democracy – or rule of law – if that’s going to be the case.

With that in mind, see below as Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA11) attempts to subpoena Musk, for VERY important, yet Republicans are not interested in having Musk testify to the House Oversight Committee and explain his actions. VERY telling – and VERY bad! As Rep. Connolly says:

“Trump’s disavowal of Project 2025 was just part of the con. President Trump and Elon Musk are using a wrecking ball to systematically dismember the government piece by piece. The American people deserve better, and we in Congress have a constitutional duty to uphold the laws that we created. We must protect the government, workers, programs and services that the future of this country depends on, and stop an unconstitutional assault on the government….Who is this unelected billionaire that he can attempt to dismantle federal agencies, fire people, transfer  them, offer them early retirement and have sweeping  changes to agencies without any Congressional review, oversight or concurrence? Therefore, Mr. Chairman, given his prominence and his importance, I move that the committee subpoena Elon Musk to come before us as a witness at the earliest possible moment, and I so move.”

Bingo.

 

Video: In Interview with 2025 VA GOP Lt. Gov. Candidate Pat Herrity, Former Virginia Trump Campaign Chair John Fredericks Says Winsome Sears an “incredibly weak candidate,” VA GOP “looking at a potential wipeout” with Sears at Top of Ticket

By
lowkell
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2

This interview, by the former Trump campaign’s Virginia chair and MAGA radio host, John Fredericks (who is very close to Trumpworld), and 2025 VA GOP Lt. Governor candidate Pat Herrity (the sole remaining Republican on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors) is both very entertaining and highly revealing in a number of ways. Check out the following video and highlights for more, including:

  • First, Fredericks gives his unvarnished opinion of Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears – currently the presumed 2025 VA GOP gubernatorial nominee – as well as some thoughts on Glenn Youngkin. According to Fredericks, Youngkin is “of course running for president in 2028  – and everything he does is based on Iowa in my judgment.” As for Sears, Fredericks says she got “a lot of issues with MAGA, kind of a never Trumper, now she’s tried to do a turnaround, nobody really believes her…not the strongest candidate that the Republicans could put up by any means.” Ouch.

  • Next, before Fredericks introduces Pat Herrity, he notes that another Republican candidate for Lt. Governor, John Reid, is a “former colleague of mine, radio talk show host that I competed with on WRVA, I put him out of business and out of his misery, and now he’s running for lieutenant governor – thank you John, you made a great decision.” LOL

  • Then we get into Herrity’s spiel about why he’s running for Lt. Governor, namely that (supposedly) when Democrats had a governing trifecta in Virginia in 2019-2020, a bunch of bad things happened (FALSE! in fact, Democrats passed 100s of pieces of excellent legislation that moved Virginia forward); also that “we got the country on the right path when we elected Donald Trump” (yikes!) and we need to keep that going; and that if Republicans don’t win in Virginia in 2025, all kinds of horrors will be coming, including the end of so-called “Right-to-Work” (aka, anti-union) laws, criminals running amok (this has been the Republicans’ fear-mongering pitch since the 1960s), “more public sector collective bargaining” (OH NOOOOOZ!!!!), etc.

  • Challenged by Fredericks about how the other VA GOP Lt. Governor candidates say Herrity’s a “Northern Virginia Fairfax RINO who’s “gonna basically play footsie with Louise Lucas and the other liberals,” Herrity responded that people should “look at my history… I’m the only one who’s had to take a pro-Second Amendment vote…produce an alternative budget to show people how you can balance the budget without tax increases,” that “I haven’t been squishy,” etc. We’ll see how that pitch plays in the Republican primary, but I doubt it will be sufficient.

  • Fredericks cites a previous statement by Herrity saying that “you thought it was time for the [Republican] Party to move on from President Trump” – very similar to what Winsome Sears said, and something that “is going to get replayed over and over” – Herrity first tried to claim his statement was “taken entirely out of context” (suuuuure! LOL), and then that he cares about the same issues MAGA cares about – immigration, public safety/crime, fentanyl, etc. – “the revoution of common sense,” supposedly. I mean…sure, whatever works for you, Supervisor Herrity, but we’ll see if it works for Republican primary voters. I’m skeptical.

  • This is probably my favorite part of the interview, the “reality check” part. First, Fredericks says Herrity is the favorite for the nomination because he’s from gigantic Fairfax County, because he’s the only GOP Lt. Governor candidate who’s held elective office, etc. But, Fredericks argues, winning the nomination would be a “pyrrhic victory if the top of your ticket loses by eight or 10 – there’s no way you win that race, zero chance…if you lose the top of the ticket by 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Winsome Sears right now is down by 10 to Abigail Spanberger…she’s not a prolific fundraiser, she’s been a Never Trumper, she had that statement out on Cavuto that is killing her with the MAGA base, she’s not gonna turn them out and she is looking at a potential wipeout, which is also going to take down five seats in the House, two seats in the Senate and Virginia will be ruled by communists for the next generation.” So, “if that happens…how do you win this race...how do you overcome what appears now to be an incredibly weak candidate at the top of the ticket that is going to drag you down?” First off, note that Herrity does NOT push back on ANY of that, specifically that Sears is a super-weak candidate who is likely to get crushed. Instead, Herrity just talks about how he’s “a prolific fundraiser…a smart campaigner,” that “I
    will be able to deliver Fairfax County at 40%…and if we get 40% in Fairfax County it’s game”; that “angry people vote, happy people stay home,” so “we need to…make our people angry about what’s going to happen to Virginia in the  2025 if we don’t have either the governor’s mansion or the House.”

  • Finally, here’s Pat Herrity attempting to square the circle of being a fan of telework for many years (including working with then-Rep. Frank Wolf to put it in place back in the 1990s), but now Trump’s ordered all federal employees back to the office. Herrity kind of flounders on this one, saying he thinks “we’ve swung the pendulum too far AWAY from telework” (???). Who knows…

Wednesday News: “This Is So Much Worse Than Last Time”; Trump Trashes US AID, Government in General; Sen. Tim Kaine Calls Trump’s Gaza Plan “Deranged” and “Nuts”; “It’s a War. Do Democrats Get That?”; “Musk Has Broken the Constitutional Order”

By
lowkell
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17

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, February 5. With regard to Trump’s insane/deranged, illegal plan to ethnically cleanse the Gaza Strip – obviously, an idea that should be rejected by everyone, as it would be a massive war crime! – this is why it was essential during the campaign for everyone to vote for Kamala Harris, even if they were (justifiably) angry and upset about the situation in Gaza, because THIS was always going to be the result – it was glaringly obvious that Trump would be much, much worse than Kamala Harris if you care about the Palestinians, Arab or Muslim Americans, whatever. Not even close, really. Plus, Trump is a disaster on everything else, so this should have been a no-brainer to vote in droves for Kamala Harris, not to sit home or vote for Jill Stein or Trump. Now, it’s going to be a four-year (at least!) disaster for ALL OF US. Greeeaaaat.

VA Speaker Don Scott Announces Formation of Emergency Committee on the Impacts of Federal Workforce and Funding Reductions

By
Blue Virginia
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1

Great work by VA Speaker Don Scott (in stark contrast to the *horrendous* job Youngkin/Trumpkin is doing, siding with Trump on everything, including Trump’s assault on federal employees):

Speaker Don Scott Announces Formation of Emergency Committee on the Impacts of Federal Workforce and Funding Reductions
Richmond, VA –  In response to the federal administration’s recent actions to significantly reduce the federal workforce, contractors, and freeze federal funding, Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates Don Scott today announced the formation of an Emergency Committee on the Impacts of Federal Workforce and Funding Reductions. The bipartisan committee, chaired by Democrat, Delegate David Bulova, and vice chaired by Republican, Robert Bloxom, will assess the potential economic and budgetary consequences of federal cutbacks and provide policy recommendations to mitigate negative effects on Virginia’s families, economy, and state budget.

“This is not about politics—it’s about protecting Virginia’s workforce, economy, and essential services,” said Speaker Don Scott. “With nearly 145,000 federal civilian employees and even more federal contractors calling Virginia home, we depend on a strong partnership with the federal government to provide critical services. The federal administration’s announced plans to ‘drain’ the federal workforce and the pause in federal funding raise serious concerns for Virginia’s economy and the ability to maintain essential services. This committee will evaluate the impact of these cuts and develop solutions to safeguard Virginia’s economic future. I have full confidence that we will work in a bipartisan manner to deliver thoughtful and effective solutions.”

“This is about ensuring that Virginia remains prepared and resilient in the face of federal policy shifts,” said Delegate David Bulova. “Our state budget must remain structurally sound, and we must take steps to protect our communities from sudden economic disruptions. The committee’s work will be critical in identifying ways to mitigate the effects of federal cuts while continuing to support Virginia families and businesses.”

According to data from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Virginia ranks as the top state in the nation for federal contract awards, totaling $106 billion in 2023. The newly announced federal workforce reductions, including a deferred resignation program aimed at cutting federal employment by up to 10%, and the mass termination of federal office leases could have significant repercussions for the state’s economy, particularly in Northern Virginia and the Hampton Roads region. Additionally, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget’s recent pause on the disbursement of federal funding could create funding gaps for essential services, potentially impacting everything from infrastructure projects to social programs.

The 12-member committee will be composed of legislators from both sides of the aisle and will be tasked with:

  • Collecting and analyzing data on the potential scope of workforce and funding cuts.
  • Assessing the likely economic and budgetary impacts on Virginia.
  • Engaging with stakeholders, including state agencies, businesses, and nonprofits, to understand their concerns and gather mitigation strategies.
  • Providing policy recommendations for the 2026 General Assembly session to address the challenges posed by these federal reductions.

The committee will be made up of the following members: David Bulova (Chair), Robert Bloxom Jr (Vice Chair), Bonita Anthony, Ellen Campbell, Joshua Cole, Michael Feggans, Hillary Pugh Kent, Marcus Simon, Anne Ferrell Tata, Josh Thomas, Tony Wilt, and Vivian Watts.

The committee will hold its organizational meeting no later than May 1, 2025, and is expected to produce a final report with findings and recommendations by December 15, 2025.

Senators Mark Warner, Tim Kaine, Colleagues Call for Reinstatement of Inspectors General Illegally Fired by President Trump

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Blue Virginia
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From Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine:

WARNER, KAINE, COLLEAGUES CALL FOR REINSTATEMENT OF INSPECTORS GENERAL ILLEGALLY FIRED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA), alongside a group of 37 senators, wrote to President Trump strongly condemning the President’s recent order to remove Inspectors General (IGs) from at least 18 government agencies and called on the President to immediately reinstate the officials. According to the Inspector General Independence and Empowerment Act, which was signed into law in 2022, the President is required to provide a 30-day notice and substantive reasons for removal in writing to Congress before an Inspector General can be removed. President Trump failed to alert Congress or provide substantive reasoning.

In Virginia, IGs have played key roles in much-needed oversight, including over the quality of the United States Postal Services’ work, and in responding to the horrific animal abuse committed by Envigo Global Services against 4,000 beagles in Cumberland County.

“These officials, which include those appointed by Presidents of both parties, including many during your first Administration, collectively conduct oversight of trillions of dollars of federal spending and the conduct of millions of federal employees,” wrote the senators. “Removing these non-partisan watchdogs without providing a substantive and non-political reason is not lawful, and undermines their independence, jeopardizing their critical mission to identify and root out waste, fraud, and abuse within federal programs.”

The senators continued, “While the President has the authority to remove Inspectors General from office, Congress has established clear requirements to ensure such removals are transparent and are not politicized.  The law requires that the President provide a written 30-day notice to both Houses of Congress and include “the substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons for any such removal or transfer.” With respect to your firings Friday night, Congress has not received either the mandatory 30-day notice or a rationale for their removal. Because your actions violated the law, these Inspectors General should be reinstated immediately…”

IGs are responsible for providing independent oversight of federal programs and play a key role in improving government efficiency and effectiveness. IGs were removed from at least 18 departments and agencies, including Departments of Defense, State, Education, Transportation, Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Energy, Commerce, Agriculture, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury, and the Environmental Protection Agency, the Office of Personnel Management, the Small Business Administration, the Social Security Administration, and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.

In addition to Warner and Kaine, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Ed Markey (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jack Reed (D-RI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and John Fetterman (D-PA).

The full text of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Mr. President,  

Your decision Friday evening to remove Inspectors General (IGs) from at least 18 offices across government—including those overseeing the Departments of Defense, State, Education, Transportation, Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Energy, Commerce, Agriculture, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury, and the Environmental Protection Agency, the Office of Personnel Management, the Small Business Administration, and the Social Security Administration, as well as the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction—does not comply with current law and could do lasting harm to IG independence.  These officials, which include those appointed by Presidents of both parties, including many during your first Administration, collectively conduct oversight of trillions of dollars of federal spending and the conduct of millions of federal employees.  Removing these non-partisan watchdogs without providing a substantive and non-political reason is not lawful, and undermines their independence, jeopardizing their critical mission to identify and root out waste, fraud, and abuse within federal programs. 

Inspectors General are responsible for providing independent oversight of federal programs by working to root out waste, fraud, and abuse and protect taxpayer dollars – oversight our federal agencies desperately need.  They play a key role in improving government efficiency and effectiveness and have helped identify and recover billions of taxpayer dollars.  IG independence is the foundation of this work, and IGs must be free of political influence so that they can carry out their important mission with integrity and credibility.  The federal government and the American people count on these officials to operate in a professional and non-partisan way to hold our government accountable—regardless of who is in power.  Without strong, qualified, and independent officials to lead these critical efforts, the Administration risks wasting taxpayer dollars, and allowing fraud and misconduct to go unchecked. For example, just this week the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued an unlawful memo directing agencies to pause nearly all federal grants and loans, which significantly disrupts the administration of over a trillion dollars of critical assistance to communities, businesses, and organizations across the country.  It is especially vital to have independent watchdogs at each of these agencies to conduct oversight of the impacts of this unconstitutional and unprecedented directive.     

While the President has the authority to remove Inspectors General from office, Congress has established clear requirements to ensure such removals are transparent and are not politicized.  The law requires that the President provide a written 30-day notice to both Houses of Congress and include “the substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons for any such removal or transfer.” With respect to your firings Friday night, Congress has not received either the mandatory 30-day notice or a rationale for their removal.  Because your actions violated the law, these Inspectors General should be reinstated immediately, until such time as you have provided in writing “the substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons” for each of the affected Inspectors General and the 30-day notice period has expired.   

Lastly, if you believe it is necessary to place any of the affected IGs on administrative leave before the 30-day notice period has ended, the law requires that you submit a separate notification to Congress explaining how the IG presents a threat as defined in the Administrative Leave Act. 

 

Sincerely,

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