FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 12, 2019
September 12, 2019
Contact:
Tim Kauffman
202-639-6405/202-374-6491
[email protected]
AFGE Stands with NOAA Workers
Categories:
Workers' Rights
News reports say White House officials pressured NOAA employees to support President Trump’s erroneous hurricane statements or be fired
WASHINGTON – American Federation of Government Employees National President J. David Cox Sr. today issued the following statement:
“Every federal employee takes an oath to support and defend the Constitution and faithfully discharge the duties of their office, which includes having the courage to correct misleading, outdated, or downright inaccurate statements about their work – even those circulated by the President of the United States.
“I am appalled by news reports that the White House orchestrated threats by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross against National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration employees. To pressure the head of NOAA to denounce statements made by professional NOAA weather forecasters in Alabama because their official opinion contradicted the president’s erroneous remarks about the potential impacts of Hurricane Dorian on the state is a truly pathetic misuse of time and attention.
“Federal employees are hired to serve the public – not political appointees – and the administration’s attempts to discredit their objective and scientific reports to cover for the president’s own inaccurate statements is yet another attack on the apolitical civil service that must be answered.”
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