Leaders in the House Democratic caucus are asking Department of Justice (DOJ) officials to explain firings made under the new Trump administration.
“This onslaught against effective DOJ civil servants began within hours of President Donald Trump’s inauguration, in complete contradiction of the president’s repeated pledges to maintain a merit-based system for government employment,” Raskin and Connolly wrote in their letter.
The two lawmakers suggested Trump’s administration had removed officials from office “without regard to their demonstrated competencies, their recognized achievements, or their devoted service to the Department.”
Raskin and Connolly said that many of the affected officials were part of an expert “non-political workforce” tasked with national security and public safety. The officials were hired due to professional excellence and merit and have “decades of experience under their belt,” including rewards from presidential administrations of both parties, the lawmakers said.
“By removing them from their positions in this hasty and unprincipled way, you have very likely violated longstanding federal laws,” Raskin and Connolly wrote, referring to civil service protections.
To determine whether the agency is complying with federal law, the lawmakers are asking for a breakdown of each affected employee, the number of years each has worked for the DOJ, the employees’ statuses before and after reassignment, their past evaluations, and other information.
The Epoch Times contacted the DOJ but did not receive a response by publication time.
A DOJ spokesperson told media outlets in a statement on Monday that McHenry “terminated the employment of a number of DOJ officials who played a significant role in prosecuting President Trump.”
“In light of their actions, the Acting Attorney General does not trust these officials to assist in faithfully implementing the President’s agenda,” the spokesperson said.
“[The firings are] consistent with the mission of ending the weaponization of government.”
In their letter, Raskin and Connolly also asked about reports citing anonymous sources that Trump administration officials are scouring prospective employees’ social media accounts to ascertain their political commitments.
“Taken together, your actions raise significant concern that you are determined to fill the ranks of the DOJ and FBI with career employees selected for the personal loyalty or political services they have rendered to President Trump,” they wrote.
Trump has advocated for a return to merit-based hiring practices at federal agencies. He signed an executive order on day one to end diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices. The two lawmakers suggested that Trump is flaunting meritocracy in favor of loyalism.
“Rather than embracing these principles, you seem intent on upending them and returning us to the days of the infamous ‘spoils system’ of the 19th century, when civil servants were hired based on political loyalty rather than professional merit,” Raskin and Connolly wrote.
The Epoch Times contacted the White House but did not receive a response by publication time.
