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Frustrated State Department employees hire attorneys, charging 'political retribution'
CNN Fake News ^

Posted on 01/27/2018 6:26:35 AM PST by TigerClaws

A growing number of State Department employees are charging they are being put in career purgatory because of their previous work on policy priorities associated with President Barack Obama and in offices the Trump administration is interested in closing.

The situation has got so serious that several officials tell CNN they have retained attorneys after repeatedly trying unsuccessfully to raise concerns about being assigned to low-level jobs in Foggy Bottom such as answering Freedom of Information Act requests.

The issue has also come to the attention of senior Democrats on Capitol Hill.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has made clearing a backlog of FOIA requests a priority and reassigned staff to what State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert has called "an all-hands on deck" effort to clear the backlog. Significant progress has been made, and the number of outstanding requests -- which stood at 22,000 in January 2017 -- has been reduced to about 13,000, Tillerson said in November, adding that he hopes the backlog will be cleared by the end of 2018.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: statedept; tillerson
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To: TigerClaws

Perfect job for them; bringing the light of truth to the public. Ironic. In there minds it’s probably the worst job they could have....hope many quit. If they don’t do their job, or we see bias in what they must do, we’re pulling weeds. Then we know who to fire and we have cause.


21 posted on 01/27/2018 6:52:26 AM PST by Linda Frances (Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness)
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To: Thibodeaux

Wall Street Journal’s Kimberly Strassel reported several years ago that the Fedgov/enviro groups war on industries that produce from our natural resources amounted to “rural cleansing”. We are long overdue for some “career purgatory/bureaucratic cleansing blowback” Let the games begin. MAGA!


22 posted on 01/27/2018 6:53:35 AM PST by Captain7seas (UNexit. Make America Great Again!)
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To: TigerClaws

Bwahaha. TRex is a magnificent bastard. This is absolutely hilarious.


23 posted on 01/27/2018 6:54:26 AM PST by AndyJackson
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To: TigerClaws

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has made clearing a backlog of FOIA requests a priority and reassigned staff to what State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert has called “an all-hands on deck” effort to clear the backlog. Significant progress has been made, and the number of outstanding requests — which stood at 22,000 in January 2017 — has been reduced to about 13,000, Tillerson said in November, adding that he hopes the backlog will be cleared by the end of 2018.

...

I thought sanctimonious liberals supported transparency.


24 posted on 01/27/2018 6:55:46 AM PST by Moonman62 (Make America Great Again!)
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To: joshua c

“When they put in charge of the paper clip inventory, take a hint.”

Have lots of paper clips and have different people count them. If the totals are different then recount. These people think they deserve a job for life. Make it a life sentence.


25 posted on 01/27/2018 6:55:57 AM PST by Dennis M.
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To: gov_bean_ counter

They have whole departments and agencies in State that have no discernible mission.


26 posted on 01/27/2018 6:56:46 AM PST by AndyJackson
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To: txrefugee

I was going to make our point. When a new regime came into my company many people got Pluto-ed....remained at the company but reduced in stature. It’s part of life. Some people left, others bit the bullet and remained. What these people are going through is frustrating but it’s really just part of employment life. They can choose to move on or they can process FOIA requests....at least it’s something. Heck, they should really just be glad they weren’t sent packing.....another thing that happens quite a bit in the real world when a new regime comes in.


27 posted on 01/27/2018 6:56:59 AM PST by Mustangman
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To: TigerClaws

The “just taking orders” defense does not hold water when the charge is this serious.


28 posted on 01/27/2018 6:59:53 AM PST by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: Scooter100

LMAO, you made my day. I need it. hee hee hee


29 posted on 01/27/2018 7:01:58 AM PST by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: TigerClaws

Welcome to the real world! Of tedious tasks created by government bureaucrats like them!


30 posted on 01/27/2018 7:06:48 AM PST by cotton1706
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To: TigerClaws
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has made clearing a backlog of FOIA requests a priority and reassigned staff to what State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert has called "an all-hands on deck" effort to clear the backlog.

"Tillerson's expecting us to like, help the public! W.T.F!!!"


31 posted on 01/27/2018 7:06:54 AM PST by COBOL2Java (Arguing with the left is like trying to reason with a crazy bum hearing voices)
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To: TigerClaws

Govt employees do nothing productive anyways. They spend other people’s money, create harmful regulations, and surf the internet.
If you want a real job, create skills and go private.


32 posted on 01/27/2018 7:08:12 AM PST by TheNext
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To: SandyInSeattle
At least they still have jobs. I personally would like to see the State Department go through a RIF. And a bunch of other agencies as well.

Practically impossible in the government; you can never get rid of employees. The most you can do is what Tillerson's doing: reassigning them to other tasks, hoping they'll either resign outright or take early retirement.

33 posted on 01/27/2018 7:09:47 AM PST by COBOL2Java (Arguing with the left is like trying to reason with a crazy bum hearing voices)
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To: SandyInSeattle

RIFs take too long and usually accomplishes nothing. Normally when a RIF is run no one is cast out but the agency is simply shuffled around with the lower level employees feeling most of the effect.

What Tillerson has done, assigning these people into menial jobs, is absolutely brillant. I’ve seen this happened time and again in government. They can complain all they want and even hire lawyers, but they are employed at their paygrade. There is no legal status even if they are doing mundane stuff. Heck, Tillerson could even throw them an award or two from time to time. Eventually they will get tired and move on or they will never recover their career. Tide and time waits for no man.


34 posted on 01/27/2018 7:12:31 AM PST by HarleyD ("There are very few shades of grey."-Dr. Eckleburg)
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To: TigerClaws

If they aren’t receiving demotions or pay cuts then too bad. Every job description I’ve ever read contains the catch-all “And other duties as assigned.”

They are free to seek employment elsewhere.


35 posted on 01/27/2018 7:12:36 AM PST by Buckeye Battle Cry (Beer! Because you can't drink bacon!)
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To: txrefugee

Can their salaries be reduced, commensurate with their new ‘job’? I think if they are reduced to FOIA requests, a job that anyone could do, their pay should reflect their new job status.


36 posted on 01/27/2018 7:13:47 AM PST by originalbuckeye ('In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act'- George Orwell)
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To: TigerClaws

Brilliant, so you don’t like that there’s no glamor in your current work assignment so you go out and hire a lawyer. Years later your out of a job and in an interview and your interviewor says “it says here you sued your last employer”. Tell me about that!

Your screwed!


37 posted on 01/27/2018 7:23:31 AM PST by Cen-Tejas
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To: TigerClaws

None of these useless eaters lost their job or took a payout. They have been shunted aside so some real work can be done by Rex Tillerson. They are pissed off because their projected career track with salary increases has stalled out under Rex Tillerson and Donald Trump.

Under DJT they are not the legends in their own minds that they would be under a President Hillary or were under Obama. No more bragging at Washington DC cocktail parties about the “fantastic” job you are doing under John Kerry like selling us out to the Iranian mullahs. Plus (hopefully) they are not getting any salary jumps which really galls them. In the real world they would be fired because their services are no longer needed.

THEY ARE DEAD WOOD! That really should be pruned.


38 posted on 01/27/2018 7:25:33 AM PST by dennisw (The strong take from the weak, but the smart take from the strong)
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To: cotton1706

I think it is time for a FReeper to post the .gif of “attempting to give a damm”.

I think that captures the feeling of the majority of posters!


39 posted on 01/27/2018 7:28:49 AM PST by lowbuck (The Blue Card (US Passport) Don't leave home without it.)
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To: SandyInSeattle
At least they still have jobs. I personally would like to see the State Department go through a RIF. And a bunch of other agencies as well.

Nothing like an impending RIF to make self important bureaucrats face the reality of how unqualified they are to compete in the real world.

40 posted on 01/27/2018 7:29:09 AM PST by etcb
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