Democrat calls planned mass firing “likely illegal” as shutdown approaches

A Senate Democrat ripped President Donald Trump for a recently released memo that detailed mass firings in the event of a shutdown, and accused the president of engaging in “mafia-style blackmail.”

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., railed against the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) memo sent to federal agencies this week that outlined a plan to reduce employees across the government beyond those that are typically furloughed.

While the House passed a short-term funding extension last week, Senate Republicans and Democrats are at odds over the bill. The deadline to fund the government is Sept. 30, and so far, no progress has been made to reach an agreement to keep the lights on.

Van Hollen charged that Trump “is engaged in mafia-style blackmail, with his threats ultimately harming the American people,” and likened the OMB’s memo to actions taken by tech billionaire Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency earlier this year that led to tens of thousands of federal employees being either fired or incentivized to retire or take a buyout.

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“He is threatening to double down on the failed actions of Elon Musk and his chainsaw — going after patriotic civil servants that provide Americans with critical services — despite having to rehire many of these workers after Americans experienced the negative impact of those cuts,” he said.

“These dedicated workers have nothing to do with the ongoing political and policy disputes that have brought us to the brink of a shutdown,” Van Hollen continued. “These threats are not only an attack on Americans’ services and benefits, they’re also likely illegal. We’ll be fighting back with every tool we have.”

Van Hollen’s ire comes as the Trump administration is gearing up for mass firings beyond the standard furloughs in a government shutdown.

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The OMB’s memo, obtained by Fox News Digital, directed that in the event that lawmakers cannot pass a funding extension, or continuing resolution (CR) by the deadline, agencies should “use this opportunity to consider Reduction in Force (RIF) notices for all employees” in programs that have no other available funding source and that don’t comport with Trump’s priorities.

“RIF notices will be in addition to any furlough notices provided due to the lapse in appropriation,” the memo read, and would be issued “regardless of whether the employee is excepted or furloughed during the lapse in appropriations.”

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Lawmakers are set to return to Washington on Monday, just a day before the deadline to fund the government. Senate Democrats blocked the GOP’s CR last week, and demanded a seat at the table to negotiate with congressional Republican leaders and Trump.

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However, Republicans have pushed back against Democrats’ counter-proposal as unserious, and are unwilling to budge on a laundry list of items tossed into their CR, which included permanently extending expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies, repealing the health care section of Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” and clawing back canceled funding for NPR and PBS. 

And a meeting between Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Trump was set for Thursday, but the president canceled, and accused Democrats of “ridiculous” demands in their counter-offer to the GOP’s plan.