Sean Michael Newhouse

Made my C-SPAN debut this morning discussing the effects of the shutdown and Trump's firing of agency inspectors general

www.c-span.org/program/wash...

Senate Democrats grill inspector general nominees over their independence from Trump Lawmakers especially criticized the nomination of former Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, R-N.Y., to lead the Labor Department’s watchdog office.

Fmr Rep D'Esposito, R-NY, was asked during a hearing to be DOL IG if he would run for office in the next election.

He responded that he couldn't answer questions about the future, prompting Sen. Blumenthal to point out that his campaign website is still up.

www.govexec.com/oversight/20...

Trump fires another inspector general, raising fears about oversight independence The White House did not provide a rationale for the removal, as required by law. The president has fired nearly 20 watchdogs since the start of his second term.

Confirming a Sen. Grassley tweet, Trump has fired another agency inspector general - this time at the Export-Import Bank

The president fired 17 of the govt. watchdogs on one of the first days of his second term + the admin has called IGs "corrupt" and "partisan"

www.govexec.com/oversight/20...

‘Where is this so-called efficiency?’ Current and former FEMA employees protest Trump overhauls to disaster agency Federal Emergency Management Agency employees who publicly signed a letter criticizing the Trump administration’s changes to the agency have been on administrative leave since August.

My full coverage: www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

From a protest outside of FEMA earlier today

CDC employees sort through chaotic ‘outbreak of firings’ followed by some reversals The Trump administration laid off more than 1,000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees ostensibly due to the government shutdown, but officials have rescinded more than half of the red...

A CDC employee facing termination said during a press call they're unsure about returning if their layoff were reversed (as happened w/ ~700 CDC employees)

“Eventually the current administration won't be there. But what are we going to be left with?”

www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

Hegseth, Vought actions heighten fears about continued inspector general independence Lawmakers from both parties and good government groups have argued that recent moves by the Trump administration will chill whistleblowing and watchdog offices.

“This is not the final step, but we're getting close to the final steps of undoing the entire system of oversight within the executive branch." - Andrew Bakaj, chief legal counsel for Whistleblower Aid

www.govexec.com/oversight/20...

Despite layoff threat, some feds see government shutdown as an opportunity to push back on Trump’s ‘lawlessness’ Federal employees and members of Congress who spoke at Monday’s press conference pointed out that agency reductions in force can proceed regardless of whether there’s a government shutdown.

Feds are facing not just the prospect of no pay during a govt shutdown - even if they continue working - but also Trump's threat of mass layoffs.

Still, some see a shutdown as a rare opportunity for Congress to push back on the president's "lawlessness."

www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

Also, she cited a board game in a footnote

Fired watchdogs can’t be reinstated despite Trump’s ‘obvious’ law breaking, court decides A federal judge determined the removed inspectors general could not show irreparable harm.

Despite ruling against them, Judge Ana Reyes praised each of the fired inspectors general in her opinion:

"While the court cannot order plaintiffs reinstated, it can give them the recognition their decades of government service demands."

www.govexec.com/oversight/20...

Census advisory committee meets despite Trump administration nixing it A Trump executive order directed the cancellation of “unnecessary” councils that advise on agency operations.

Trump disbanded a committee of experts who advised the Census Bureau. Members of the committee met anyway.

"What impact will we have? I don't know. But what I can say for sure is that if we don't do this, then we won't have an impact,” the chair said.

www.govexec.com/management/2...

CDC ends telework for employees with disabilities, union says Telework is a common example of a reasonable accommodation, which agencies are legally required to provide to workers with disabilities with limited exceptions.

Adding to the upheaval at CDC...unions representing agency employees said that the Trump admin is barring workers w/ disabilities from requesting telework — a common reasonable accommodation that agencies are generally legally required to provide

www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

HUD asked grantees to apply for soon-to-be-expired funding 3 separate times. Democrats want a watchdog review. President Donald Trump recently replaced the acting head of the Housing and Urban Development Department’s inspector general office, which would look into the matter.

The Housing and Urban Development Department has made prospective awardees for grants to address homelessness submit three separate applications - the most recent one is due today.

The funding these orgs are competing for expires in a little more than 2 weeks.

www.govexec.com/oversight/20...

Social Security office that helps members of Congress assist their constituents slashed by up to 94% A spokesperson said that Social Security's congressional affairs work is continuing in offices across the agency.

Social Security's Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs, which helps lawmakers w/ casework (e.g. when constituents aren't receiving benefits) has been reduced from around 50 employees to as few as three, according to a former employee

www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

FEMA’s staffing shortages have hindered past disaster recovery efforts, GAO says. Now the agency has even fewer workers A watchdog report found that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has had to reassign employees working on ongoing disaster recovery to respond to new disasters and deploy staffers to perform jobs ...

While detailing how staffing shortages have hindered past disaster recovery efforts, a new GAO report flags that FEMA is facing the ongoing hurricane season with even fewer employees, largely because of Trump's voluntary separation incentives for feds

www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

Trump’s focus on excluding migrants from census is just one of several issues with preparations for 2030 count, experts say Advocates criticized the Trump administration’s decision to eliminate census advisory boards and warned that government funding fights could snarl planning.

While Trump has suggested a mid-decade census that excludes undocumented migrants, experts are worried about his admin's preparations for the 2030 national population count.

“My census antennas are up, and I’m a bit worried about what we might see,” one said.

www.govexec.com/management/2...

‘I cried so many times’: Watchdog warns that agency guidance for changing employee names is lacking While the four agencies that the Government Accountability Office analyzed generally had required procedures, nearly all employees that investigators interviewed reported issues navigating the process...

In what I thought was going to be a boring report, the GAO looked at the process for federal employees to change their names (e.g. bc of marriage) + found they're struggling to get through the process

One civil servant said they cried multiple times

www.govexec.com/oversight/20...

Fired FBI officials were not afforded due process rights, agent association argues Five agents were fired earlier this month, exacerbating concerns about politicization at the law enforcement agency.

An FBI agents association argued that the lack of due process afforded to officials who were recently fired has "left special agents with no explanation for this deviation from law and policy other than political retribution.”

www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

Good government group alleges Commerce secretary violated federal ethics law Several government officials have run afoul of the Hatch Act in recent years for making political comments in their official capacities during media interviews.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has accused Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick of breaking the Hatch Act (ethics law) over a Fox Business interview in which he urged people to vote against NYC mayor candidate Zohran Mamdani

www.govexec.com/oversight/20...

‘It’s just too much’: CDC employees have faced layoffs, vaccine misinformation and now — violence A shooter who recently attacked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s headquarters was upset about the COVID-19 vaccine, police said.

Even before a shooter who was "discontent" w/ the COVID vaccine fired hundreds of rounds at CDC's HQ, employees have had to contend w/ layoffs and RFK Jr.'s anti-vaccine actions and rhetoric.

One employee told me: “It’s just too much. This year has been too much.”

www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

Layoffs canceled at federal contractor oversight office, but questions remain about agency restructuring Employees at the Labor Department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs received a notice that they will get new job assignments rather than be laid off.

Planned layoffs at a Labor Department office that ensures contractors are complying with anti-discrimination law are being canceled, but the agency will still be restructured and Trump administration officials have previously discussed reversing the agency's mission

www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

Fewer Republicans view a nonpartisan civil service as essential, survey shows The Partnership for Public Service’s survey also found that trust in the federal government increased from 23% in 2024 to 33%, driven largely by more positive views from GOP respondents.

Per a new survey:

- Fewer Americans (but still a majority) support a nonpartisan civil service

- 18-34-year olds went from being the least trusting of the federal govt to the most

- There was a 24 pt. drop in the % of Americans who think the govt is wasteful

www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

Trump administration cuts age limits for ICE agent recruits The Homeland Security Department is using a recent funding infusion to hire more Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents with the goal of deporting more migrants.

DHS announced that it's removing age restrictions to become an ICE agent.

Secretary Noem said there’s “no longer a cap on how old you can be” and that 18-year-olds could sign up.

www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

At least 148,000 federal employees have left government under Trump, good government group reports The Partnership for Public Service acknowledged that it’s difficult to track the number of civil servants who have departed because the Trump administration has not publicized much of the information.

“They're clearing the cupboard and they're putting in place a system to restock the shelves with a class of people that are focused on their loyalty as opposed to their competence and character,” said Partnership for Public Service's Max Stier

www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

2 independent watchdogs quietly replaced by Trump The former acting Education inspector general had accused administration officials of stonewalling an investigation, and the ex-acting Commerce IG was removed from that position for a second time.

Without much notice, Trump has replaced two acting leaders of agency inspector general offices (independent government watchdogs), including one who had accused administration officials of stonewalling an investigation www.govexec.com/oversight/20...

‘Bounce-back emails and no-replies’: IRS and Social Security workforce reductions are hurting constituent service, House Democrats argue IRS has shrunk by 25%, mostly through voluntary separation incentives, while the Social Security Administration plans to shed 7,000 employees this fiscal year.

Since the Trump admin has started reducing staff at IRS and Social Security, many House Dems are having more problems doing constituent casework.

www.govexec.com/management/2...

Census is planning on hiring fewer temporary workers for the 2030 count, watchdog reports An official from the nonprofit Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights said the smaller workforce, among other proposed changes, could contribute to undercounts of certain groups.

“It sounds like a wonky and boring topic, and yet [the census] is perhaps the most essential thing we can ensure that we have to get right.”...quote from my story about Census' plan to hire fewer temp workers for the 2030 count

www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

Most Americans oppose RIFs, but a good government group says anti-layoff messaging needs to be improved A Partnership for Public Service researcher said that there needs to be more focus on the consequences of laying off federal employees versus the government workers themselves because “we found throug...

A new Partnership for Public Service survey found that a narrow majority of Americans oppose Trump's layoffs of federal employees, yet the good govt group urged changes to anti-RIF messaging saying "there's not a lot of sympathy for civil servants losing their jobs"

www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

Former federal science leaders warn Trump proposals could cripple U.S. research Experts decried potential rescissions of funding for science agencies as well as cuts to government researchers and grants.

Former federal science leaders warned that a rumored 2nd rescission bill targeting science agencies as well as proposed budget cuts, efforts to shrink workforces and grant terminations amount to a "systematic dismantling of [U.S.] research infrastructure"

www.govexec.com/management/2...

Census has long struggled with staffing shortages. Employees say Trump is making it worse Voluntary separation incentives and the government hiring freeze have left remaining staff on the hook with more work.

To cap off this newsy week...the Census Bureau has long struggled with staffing shortages. I interviewed employees who say Trump's government workforce cuts are making things worse.

One individual won't take sick leave because of the work that could build up.

www.govexec.com/workforce/20...