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Democrats are refusing to bow to President Donald Trump's threats of mass federal layoffs despite the looming government shutdown, per HuffPost.
“President Trump is engaged in mafia-style blackmail, with his threats ultimately harming the American people,” Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen said on Thursday (September 25).
Van Hollen's comments stem from a memo issued by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on Wednesday (September 24), urging agencies to seek permanent layoffs if government funding lapses next week. The directive targets employees in programs deemed “not consistent with the President’s priorities."
In response to the move, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) slammed OMB director Russell Vought.
“Listen Russ, you are a malignant political hack. We will not be intimidated by your threat to engage in mass firings. Get lost," Jeffries said.
Government funding is set to expire on Tuesday (September 30) at midnight. Senate Republicans are pushing a House-passed bill that maintains current spending levels until November. However, Democrats are holding out for health care provisions, including extended tax credits under the Affordable Care Act, to be included in the deal.
“Democrats are being completely crazy,” Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), a top Trump ally, said. Moreno attempted to downplay immediate layoffs, but said if a shutdown drags on, “we’re going to have to make permanent cuts.”
Democratic lawmakers from the D.C. region, where many federal workers reside, said they won't be swayed by threats.
Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-Md.), whose district includes 35,000 federal employees, said, “This is the only lever which we can have a line in the sand.”
Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) noted that layoffs are already underway.
“The Trump administration is clearly hoping to manipulate federal workers and the public into blaming others... but nobody should be fooled," Beyer said.
Former OMB official Bobby Kogan called the layoffs “extortionary."
“His lawyers should tell him that a shutdown gives the administration no additional legal authority to justify the lawless dismissal of federal workers,” Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said, adding, “We won’t be intimidated.
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