Fed Employees Speak Out
At noon today, about 40 current and recently terminated Federal workers gathered in Federal Plaza under the watchful eye of Alexander Calder’s Flamingo to speak out against the Trump’s Administration use of a chainsaw to decimate the Federal workforce. When I arrived, another photographer commented on the cold weather. We were both sick of it and our heavy coats. Today was particularly bad because the air was damp. My friend overheard one person say to another, “At least the cold weather will keep the speeches short.” That person was dead on. The entire demonstration lasted no more than 30 minutes.
When I was in Washington, D.C. several weeks back, I looked for Federal employees picketing outside their current or former offices, or demonstrating in the designated area in back of the Capitol. Nothing. It was also bone-chilling cold, with the high winds driving the cold home, which probably explains why there were no picket lines or demonstrations So today’s rally permitted me to document an important category of people who have suffered at the hands of Trump, Elon Musk, and the DOGE Bros.
The three predominant groups of Federal workers present were drawn from the ranks of the the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”), the Environmental Protection Agency, and the IRS. Speakers for each group recounted the specific damages that the dismissals had already caused. We heard about financial fraud cases that had would now go unprosecuted, unpaid taxes that would go uncollected because the cases had been closed, and Superfund sites that would not be cleaned up.
Not the most glamorous or noteworthy demonstration. Yet, for the people holding the signs, particularly for those who had been terminated, it represented an important opportunity to make their case, as well as emotionally vent. With that in mind, I will now reproduce the letter I sent to my elected representatives on behalf of the Federal workforce. Senators Dick Durbin, Tammy Duckworth, and Chuck Schumer each received a copy, as did Representative Michael Quigley.
The headline in today’s New York Times ("DOGE’s Cuts Reach Key Nuclear Scientists, Bomb Engineers and Safety Experts") revealed the negative impact that the Trump Administration’s cuts to the Federal workforce are having on nuclear safety and readiness. Not so surprisingly, the headline in today’s Wall Street Journal ("The Unintended Consequences of Trump’s Firing Spree") echoed the Times’ headline. Rather than focusing on one agency, the WSJ referenced many, with an emphasis on why what Elon Musk has engineered does not even remotely resemble how the private sector handles downsizing. In the private sector, downsizings are thought through over a number of months, with plans being put in place to assure that the vital missions assigned to the downsized workforce are still accomplished.
Like Trump’s approach to immigration, his treatment of the Federal workforce reflects his own ignorance, relying on public misperceptions. Everyone who Trump wants to deport is labeled a “terrorist” or a “criminal.” In the case of the Federal workforce, Trump relies on a “cinematic vision”—500 workers in a cavernous, antiseptic workspace, each sitting behind a metal desk with paper piled high, stamping “NO” on requests from the public.
On two occasions, I have had extended involvement with the Federal workforce. One, when I served on President Clinton’s Transition Team in late 1992; the other when I served on the IRS Advisory Committee of Tax-Exempt Organizations and Governmental Entities (the “ACT”). I was selected in both cases because I was a tax lawyer.
In 1992, being young and from the private sector, I had my own misconceptions about the IRS staff. After spending time in the IRS’s main office interviewing management level employees, I realized my stereotypes were incorrect. The people I and other team members met with were both impressive and dedicated. I said so when we met with the Commissioner and other senior officials during an exit interview.
Serving on the ACT gave me a closer look at one of the IRS’s divisions. Once again, I was impressed with everyone I met. These were people who could easily find higher-paying jobs in the private sector. I might add, one afternoon after completing our work for the day, I asked the then head of the tax-exempt organizations division about just how serious the IRS took taxpayer confidentiality—Could a curious employee check on his or her neighbor’s income level, or that of a celebrity? The division head made it clear that breaking the rules surrounding Section 6103 was essentially a firing offense, which raises serious questions about Musk’s cavalier attitude toward taxpayer confidential information.
I suspect my conclusions are equally applicable across the entire Federal government. No doubt, the government workforce could be reduced through the better use of modern technology. When we wrote the Clinton Transition Team report that was eventually delivered to incoming Treasury Secretary Lloyd Benson, we had a section on computer modernization—at that time the IRS systems went back to the early 1960s. When I served on the ACT 20 years later, I heard once again about antiquated computer systems—the same ones. Alas, Congress continually ignores requests for the necessary funding to update the systems, which might reduce headcount.
In short, Trump’s and Musk’s approach to making the Federal workforce more efficient is causing vast amounts of damage, both in terms of internal operations and the services that the public receives. Perhaps of greater importance, the effort reflects unnecessary cruelty. No severance package; no documentation permitting people to file for unemployment; no outsourcing services; and inadequate time for the removal of personal possessions from offices.
And as we now have read countless times, the government is often required to rehire people once someone realizes that vital “bone” rather than ”fat” has been cut. Going forward, I can only imagine how this fiasco will impact the willingness of talented college graduates to seek public sector employment. Musk’s refrain that “We will make mistakes” is unacceptable.
Which brings me to you. We have not heard enough from Congress, particularly the Democratic side of the aisle, about the irrational and cruel cuts to the Federal workforce. Yes, individual senators and House members have spoken up, but there has been no meaningful collective action or voice.
We cannot wait until the November 2026 elections. It will be too late. The Democrats must collectively start speaking out against the cuts, and more generally against the Trump Administration. Like the Republicans, it is time for the Democrats to start speaking with one, unified voice. Until I see that unity, there will be no campaign contributions from me.
“Don’t it always seen to go, That you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone?
They paradise, put up a parking lot”
Joni Mitchell, Big Yellow Taxi, from Dreamland (1970)
Jack B. Siegel
cc: Kenneth Martin, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee
[Click on an Image to Enlarge It. The Images Are Not Necessarily in Exact Chronological Order]
Speaking Out on Behalf of IRS Employees
Pleading on Behalf of Her Father
Some of the 44,784 Federal Employees in Illinois
Lorie McCann, Head of the National Treasury Employees Union--Chicago Chapter--Preparing to Speak
Demanding that the Trump Administration Save the EPA
Elon Making an Appearance
Congressman Michael Quigley Braving the Cold to Stand with the Rank and File
Holding a Sign for the NTEU
Standing Before the TV Cameras
"DOGE Out!!; Workers In!!"
Congresswoman Robin Kelly Speaking Out for Federal Workers
Copyright 2025, Jack B. Siegel (except the first two images in the post, which are copyrighted 2024). All Rights Reserved. Do Not Alter, Copy, Display, Distribute, Download, Duplicate, or Reproduce Without the Prior Written Consent of the Copyright Holder.
