LISTEN HERE:
Recently, Mike Johnson (R-La.), the House speaker, expressed intense disapproval in response to reports regarding potential walkouts by Biden administration employees, who aim to express solidarity with Gaza while denouncing President Biden’s endorsement of Israel’s conflict with Hamas. Johnson, a vocal critic of such actions, took to the X platform to publicize his disapproval, emphasizing the accountability and expectations bestowed upon government workers by taxpayers.
According to Johnson’s post on the X platform, those arm of the government intending to abandon their duties to protest against U.S. backing of Israel fail in their duties and exploit the confidence posed by citizens. He candidly stated his perspective, insisting that such employees ‘deserve to be fired’ on account of their actions.
Moreover, he announced his plans to collaborate with Oversight Chairman Comer and take disciplinary action. Their joint endeavor will strive to ensure every federal agency initiates suitable actions against any personnel choosing protest over responsibility.
The organization propelling this intended walkout is Feds United for Peace. The protest is anticipated to take place on an upcoming Tuesday, with participants from 22 federal agencies, indicating a widespread dissent within the administrative bureaucracy.
The organizers are confident about their legal standing concerning their protest strategy. They assured that legal advice was sought and their ‘walkout’ strategy does not stand in violation of any federal law.
AL-Monitor, meanwhile, managed to secure comments from the organizers themselves. They anticipate a significant turnout, anticipating ‘hundreds’ of staffers to take part boldly in the act of dissent.
The range of participating staff is expected to cover agencies from the Executive Office of the President, the National Security Agency to departments such as State, Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs. Inclusion of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Naval Research Laboratory also forecast the extensive participation spanning various sectors.
Previous encounters with Johnson recount his intense criticism of the Biden administration’s stand on various issues. Just last month, Johnson censured the White House’s avoidance of a stern immigration control as part of a fresh budget agreement.
In Johnson’s words, the matter was less about immigration and more about national self-determination. Implementable policy shifts were not considered due to the apparent reluctance and subsequent silence from the White House.
He continued with his narrative, sharing his journey from the time he was appointed speaker. For more than six weeks, Johnson has been vocal about the necessity of prioritizing specific policy changes before moving forward.
He further highlighted that their bill, H.R. 2, had received approval from the House half a year ago. However, it has been neglected, sitting untouched on the desk of Chuck Schumer, adding to the administration’s lack of seriousness.
Adding to his critique of the current administration, he commented on the dwindling timeline. The year end is approaching, and according to him, the administration is attributing the lack of progress to insufficient time. Johnson, however, insists that the House is blameless in this situation.
