WASHINGTON: Some employees at the US Federal Emergency Management Agency were put on leave on Tuesday (Aug 26) after they signed an open letter of dissent against the agency’s leadership, according to the non-profit group whose website published the letter.
The development is likely to fuel concerns that US President Donald Trump’s administration does not tolerate dissent. In July, the US Environmental Protection Agency placed 139 employees on administrative leave after they signed a letter expressing criticism of Trump’s policies.
“We can confirm multiple FEMA employees who publicly signed the Katrina Declaration have been placed on administrative leave,” non-profit group Stand Up for Science said in an emailed statement. It did not specify how many employees were placed on administrative leave.
The Washington Post reported earlier that by Tuesday evening, FEMA’s office of the administrator had sent several letters to people informing them that effective immediately, they were on administrative leave, “in a non-duty status while continuing to receive pay and benefits.”
Dozens of current and former staff at the US agency that responds to natural disasters warned Congress in a letter on Monday that the inexperience of top appointees of the Trump administration could lead to a catastrophe on the level of Hurricane Katrina.
The Stand Up for Science website said the letter had over 190 signatories as of Tuesday evening.
“Once again, we are seeing the federal government retaliate against our civil servants for whistleblowing – which is both illegal and a deep betrayal of the most dedicated among us,” the group said.
