“On its surface, the president’s executive order is said to be intentional for a legitimate and admirable purpose … that is, to hold federal employees ‘accountable’ for their performance,” Sanders wrote. “Nevertheless, it is clear that despite its intended purpose, the executive order is nothing more than a smokescreen for the explicit efforts made for the need for political loyalty of those advising the president, or failing to do so, if his position is cut short.” . ”
He added: “I can’t be part of an administration that wants to do that … to replace apolitical skills with a political salute.”
A lifelong Republican and human resources professional, Sanders, who has spent decades in the federal government, wrote to McIntyre that career federal employees “swear to uphold and protect our Constitution and the rule of law … no special president or prasad will remain loyal.” . ”
“The Order wants to be loyal to the litmus test for thousands of career civil servants (to the President), and this is something I can’t be a part of,” he said.
Sanders did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.
The White House says the directive would give federal agencies more flexibility to hire “Schedule F” employees but would also be able to remove “weak performers” from these roles without going through a lengthy appeal process. The White House also said the order prohibits “Schedule F” employees from taking “certain employee actions”, including “partisan affiliation of employees, other secure characteristics or due to the employee’s status as a whistleblower”.
But Sanders joins a growing group of voices within the federal government objecting to the administrative order.
The American Federation of Government Employees – the largest union for federal employees – calls the order “the most profound disregard of the civil service in our lifetime.”
The order also scrutinizes nonprofit partnerships in public service, the Senior Executives Association and Democrats in Congress.
The president has long argued that the government bureaucracy has a “deep state” plotted against him.
While speaking in front of the President in Atlanta in September, Carson was caught grabbing a bunch of talking points that appeared to be filing a complaint about Office McIntyre.
“I am very loyal to you and I hope to be in your administration after you win,” notes Carson. “I am not happy with the way the PPO (President’s Office) manages my agency.”
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