Federal: Political appointees doing career staff work

[Anonymous]

Typically in our office the political director gets a minion or two and they and their work are largely kept separate from career staff.

In this administration, they have hired more political minions than ever and they are getting very involved in career staff work. One of my colleagues expressed the concern that we are going to be “replaced” and I think that’s valid. But it looks like they will let career staff leave by attrition and hire more and more political replacements then. It will be interesting to see how this plays out, to say the least.

Has anyone else seen this phenomenon?

[Anonymous]

No, not seeing it. Schedule Cs are limited in numbers government wide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, not seeing it. Schedule Cs are limited in numbers government wide.

No doubt but do you really think this administration would bother with following such a rule?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, not seeing it. Schedule Cs are limited in numbers government wide.

Did you miss the part where the admin gave itself the ability to appoint an unlimited number of transition Schedule Cs? link

What about when they created Schedule G to have an infinite number of permanent political appointees?
link

[Anonymous]

Hasn’t happened at my work. No new politicals.

[Anonymous]

Yes happening a lot at my agency (which is one that's in the news a lot...)

There is stuff they don't think career staff will do (because it's very contrary to the science) and that they don't want leaked.

Career staff are still busy with plenty of other stuff because a lot have left with DRP and VERA etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Typically in our office the political director gets a minion or two and they and their work are largely kept separate from career staff.

In this administration, they have hired more political minions than ever and they are getting very involved in career staff work. One of my colleagues expressed the concern that we are going to be “replaced” and I think that’s valid. But it looks like they will let career staff leave by attrition and hire more and more political replacements then. It will be interesting to see how this plays out, to say the least.

Has anyone else seen this phenomenon?

Yes the US is going back to the “spoil system”. It is from the Gilded Age. This is where the party in power replaces all governmental workers with party loyalists.

[Anonymous]

Yes I’ve seen political appointees writing their own speeches and promotional things that public affairs used to do. They just don’t read very professionally and reflect poorly on the agency. They should use the excellent public affairs that we have.