Posted on 10/02/2012 2:09:09 PM PDT by jazusamo
Furious over the White House telling defense companies to ignore federal law requiring them to warn employees of possible layoffs from pending defense cuts, two key Republicans are demanding to know the legal rationale behind the guidance.
Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire fired off a letter Monday night to Jeffrey Zients, acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, questioning the agency’s legal authority to make the promises, which they said could put taxpayers on the hook for “billions of dollars.”
Mr. Zients‘ letter told private companies not only that they didn’t have to abide by the federal layoffs law but also that taxpayers’ dollars would be provided to pay for any costs or liability associated with issuing pink slips without the required warning.
“We are concerned about the authority of the executive branch to instruct private employers not to comply with federal law and to promise to pay the monetary judgements and litigation costs that arise out of the lawsuits that may follow,” the senators wrote.
“If workers aren’t given the notice they’re due, the costs could amount to billions of dollars for taxpayers,” Mr. Grassley said. “The public deserves answers and accountability without any delay.”
“The administration’s new guidance tells employers to willfully ignore the law and stay silent about looming layoffs until after the election — and promises them a taxpayer-funded bailout for their legal expenses if they do so,” Ms. Ayotte added. “The administration must explain its legal basis for this interpretation of the WARN Act that leaves taxpayers on the hook, American workers in the dark, and our national security in jeopardy.”
Mr. Grassley is the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Ms. Ayotte is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Dictator Obama....he will STONEWALL EVERYTHING, just as he has for 4 years!!
***Another Toothless Rino inquiry Alert***
You question the emperor?
So Zero can brazenly break the law and then force the taxpayers to pay for his blatant campaign stunt? This POS simply cannot be reelected.
Congress brought this on themselves by failing to vet Obama and refusing to investigate filing impeachment charges.
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