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Under threat of RIFs and a government shutdown, some federal employees ‘not buying it’

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4 months ago

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On the eve of the deadline for a government shutdown, a crowd of current and former federal employees convened outside the Supreme Court in downtown Washington, D.C., to make their voices heard.

The Monday evening press conference, led by a grassroots group of federal employees who call themselves the Civil Servants Coalition, urged Senate Democrats to vote down the GOP’s stopgap funding measure — unless it includes stipulations to mitigate some impacts of the Trump administration this year.

Several current federal employees, speaking in their personal capacity, described the “terrible toll” the Trump administration has imposed on the federal workforce over the last several months.

“We have all had our lives turned upside down by this administration,” Charlotte Slaiman, an anti-trust lawyer at the Federal Trade Commission, told the crowd. “When I saw the [Office of Management and Budget] memo threatening to fire more federal workers if Congress didn’t agree to their budget, I was scared … [But] we realized Donald Trump and Russell Vought want us to be scared.”

“This is just a political stunt, and we’re not buying it,” Slaiman added, also telling Democrats, “Do not give up for us. Fight for us.”

Alexis Goldstein, a member of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s chapter of the National Treasury Employees Union, similarly urged Democrats to push back against the Trump administration.

“The way you stand up to a bully is not to cave to the bully. The way you stand up to the bully is to say no to the bully,” Goldstein said. “So if you say no, we will have your backs.”

Alexis Goldstein, a member of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s chapter of the National Treasury Employees Union, speaks at a press conference outside the Supreme Court on Monday. Goldstein, in her personal capacity, joined several federal colleagues in urging Democrats to “say no to the bully.” The event, organized by the Civil Servants Coalition, criticized the Trump administration’s federal workforce overhauls this year. (Photo by Drew Friedman, Federal News Network)

Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), as well as Reps. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) and Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) all spoke at the employee-led event, to both blast the Trump administration’s actions and express support for federal civil servants.

“Thank all of you for what you do for the American people, and thank you for being here to express your views,” Van Hollen told employees gathered at Monday’s conference.

The Maryland senator also criticized and questioned the legality of the message last week from OMB telling agencies to conduct further reductions in force in the event of a government shutdown. Guidance from the Office of Personnel Management subsequently green-lit agencies to work on RIFs both leading up to and during a potential shutdown. OPM stated that all RIF-related work should be considered “excepted activities” for the purposes of a government shutdown.

“They certainly should not be excepted activities in a shutdown, but we are dealing with a lawless administration,” Van Hollen said.

Paul Osadebe, a now former Department of Housing and Urban Development employee, who said he was fired this week after filing a whistleblower complaint, saw OMB’s memo as more of the same from the Trump administration.

“We were already being shut down. We were already not being allowed to do our jobs. We were already being fired. We were already being retaliated against,” Osadebe told Federal News Network at the press conference.

Despite the largely negative impacts a funding lapse would have, Osadebe said he saw somewhat of a silver lining in the possibility of a government shutdown as well.

“It’s unfortunate that that would be the way to get there, if that’s the way that it happens,” Osadebe said. “But it is an opportunity for people to stop and see that what’s happening right now is not normal.”

“We don’t want to shut down — we want a budget that keeps the government working. But we also don’t want to lie down,” added Sarah Kobrin, an employee at the National Cancer Institute who spoke to Federal News Network in her personal capacity.

Within the Civil Servants Coalition, Kobrin described a broad range of comfort levels from federal employees, in how willing they are to speak out about what they have experienced this year.

“We’re on the inside. We can see what’s happening. We’re watching the destruction [that is] fully underway,” Kobrin said. “People keep asking me, ‘Are you scared?’ But I’ve been scared for nine months. This just isn’t any worse. In fact, it’s an opportunity for us to speak out more clearly.”

The post Under threat of RIFs and a government shutdown, some federal employees ‘not buying it’ first appeared on Federal News Network.

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Politics

Mainstream Media in Disbelief as Trump DOUBLES Expected Jobs Numbers – President Trump Takes Victory Lap After Adding 130,000 Jobs to US Economy

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12 hours ago

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February 12, 2026

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US jobs numbers for February far exceeded expectations to start 2026.

President Trump doubled expectations adding 130,000 jobs when only 55,000 was expected.

The unemployment rate also decreased from 4.4% to 4.3% according to CNBC

President Trump: Just in: GREAT JOBS NUMBERS, FAR GREATER THAN EXPECTED! The United States of America should be paying MUCH LESS on its Borrowings (BONDS!). We are again the strongest Country in the World, and should therefore be paying the LOWEST INTEREST RATE, by far. This would be an INTEREST COST SAVINGS OF AT LEAST ONE TRILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR – BALANCED BUDGET, PLUS. WOW! The Golden Age of America is upon us!!! President DJT

From the president’s Truth Social account:
Tweet by Donald Trump discussing US job numbers, borrowing costs, interest rates, and a balanced budget, emphasizing America's strength and economic potential.

At what point can the American people sue the Federal Reserve Chief for his dereliction of duty? Jerome Powell is now costing every American untold amounts of money by refusing to do his job!

CNBC host Rick Santelli reacted positively:

Even CNN was forced to share the good economic news.

The post Mainstream Media in Disbelief as Trump DOUBLES Expected Jobs Numbers – President Trump Takes Victory Lap After Adding 130,000 Jobs to US Economy appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Democrat Rep. Nadler Has to be Woken Up by Staffer During Bondi Hearing (VIDEO)

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12 hours ago

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February 12, 2026

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A diverse group of lawmakers engaged in a congressional hearing, with individuals focused on their devices and discussions in a formal setting.

Democrat Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY) had to be woken up by a staffer on Wednesday morning during a congressional hearing.

US Attorney General Pam Bondi testified at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on the Epstein files, fatal shootings of two anti-ICE agitators and more.

Nadler fell asleep just minutes into Wednesday’s hearing.

A staffer walked over to Nadler and woke him up.

WATCH:

Later on during the hearing, Nadler and Bondi got into a shouting match over Jeffrey Epstein’s co-conspirators.

“How many [co-conspirators] have you indicted?” Nadler asked Bondi.

“Excuse me! I’m going to answer!” Bondi said.

“Answer my question!” Nadler demanded.

“I’m gonna answer the question the way I want to answer the question. Your theatrics are ridiculous,” Bondi said.

“Chairman Jordan, I’m not gonna get into the gutter with these people,” Bondi said.

Bondi and Nadler continued to talk over each other until Chairman Jim Jordan intervened.

WATCH:

The post Democrat Rep. Nadler Has to be Woken Up by Staffer During Bondi Hearing (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Politics

Possible Trans Attack?- ‘Gunperson’ Wearing Dress Kills 9 and Injuries at Least 25 Others at Canadian School

Published

13 hours ago

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February 12, 2026

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Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license./ Author: Dickelbers

According to the Tumbler Ridge Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), a mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia left nine dead and at least 25 more injured.

According to police, the sole suspect, described as a “gunperson’ wearing a dress, was found dead inside the school from “a self-inflicted injury.”

Per CNN:

Police found six people dead and dozens injured when they arrived at the high school in Tumbler Ridge, a town of just 2,400 people in northeast British Columbia, early on Tuesday afternoon. Another person died en route to hospital, police said.

The alleged shooter, who was found dead at the school with a self-inflicted injury, is believed to have killed two more people, whose bodies were discovered at a home in the township

Two victims were airlifted from the school to hospital with serious or life-threatening injuries. And about 25 other people were also being treated at a local medical center, police said.

Fox News reported that Superintendent Ken Floyd, North District Commander, said in a statement,  “This was a rapidly evolving and dynamic situation, and the swift cooperation from the school, first responders, and the community played a critical role in our response.”

“Our thoughts are with the families, loved ones, and all those impacted by this tragic incident. This has been an incredibly difficult and emotional day for our community, and we are grateful for the cooperation shown as officers continue their work to advance the investigation.”

Juno News, an independent outlet in Canada, claims to have spoken with someone connected to the suspected shooter’s family who says the suspect was trans and used “she/her” pronouns, but authorities have not confirmed the claim.

The Guardian reported that the police have identified the shooter, but didn’t publicly release their identity due to the integrity of the investigation.

The shooter’s identity, any potential connections to groups, and motivations remain under investigation.

The post Possible Trans Attack?- ‘Gunperson’ Wearing Dress Kills 9 and Injuries at Least 25 Others at Canadian School appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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