Today, Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a letter to Charles Ezell, Acting Director of the Office of Personnel Management, demanding a clarification that nonresponse to the “What did you do last week?” email that was sent to all federal workers today does not constitute resignation and a clarification that Elon Musk does not, in fact, speak for OPM.
“I write with immediate concern regarding an email that your office sent to federal employees today and its relationship with Elon Musk’s threat to dismiss any employees who do not respond,” the Ranking Member wrote. “This threat is illegal, reckless, and yet another example of the cruel and arbitrary chaos Mr. Musk is inflicting on the people’s government and its dedicated public servants. You must immediately clarify that federal employees’ nonresponse to this ill-conceived, weekend email does not constitute resignation.”
Since the start of this Trump-Musk Administration, federal workers have been forced to endure unprecedented attacks such as DOGE’s unlawful incursions into their work and personal lives, extreme levels of uncertainty and chaos, scam resignation offers, mass firings, and slights against their commitment to public service. Ranking Member Connolly underscores that this latest threat will only make their jobs more difficult.
“The capricious dismissal threatened in Mr. Musk’s post is illegal and cannot be tolerated. Mr. Musk’s post is an insult to federal workers and shows that he lacks a basic understanding that many federal workers will not be receiving this email in time to respond by the deadline as they may be away from their secure workstation or on medical leave. He also, disturbingly, appears to be unaware that many federal employees are locked out of their systems due to DOGE’s ongoing intrusion into federal IT infrastructure. This latest threat leveled by Mr. Musk only makes federal workers’ jobs more difficult as they attempt to maintain continuity of services for the American people despite daily attempts by DOGE to undermine their work.”
In his letter, Ranking Member Connolly highlights that, while this Administration has purposefully made it more difficult for civil servants to carry out their mission, our federal workers have remained steadfast in their commitment to delivering for the American people:
“Today’s actions are a clear attempt by the Trump Administration to force the departure of dedicated civil servants who resoundingly refused to take the bait on Mr. Musk’s scam ‘deferred resignation’ offer. Federal workers are committed to serving the American people.”
“I urge you to immediately inform federal workers that his missives do not constitute official orders from OPM. You must also make clear his threat of dismissal due to nonresponse to OPM’s email is invalid,” the Ranking Member concludes.
Click here to read the letter to Mr. Ezell.
Under Ranking Member Connolly’s leadership, Oversight Democrats have opened numerous investigations into DOGE’squestionableactivities, Elon Musk’s role, the Administration’s numerousattacks on thefederalworkforce, and more potential wrongdoing by this Administration.
If you are a federal worker and would like to share information with Oversight Democrats regarding potential wrongdoing, abuses of power, and threats to federal workers by the Trump Administration, you can blow the whistle here.
