"The suspension of benefits was one of the most contentious issues as Republicans and Democrats sparred over how to move forward, and 25 states and the District of Columbia (a group of those led by Democratic governors and attorneys general) sued the USDA, arguing that the federal government had a legal obligation to fund food stamps and should be required to tap into USDA emergency funds to do so."
"Everything Mei discussed in her four-minute interview was publicly available through a variety of news articles and guidance from anti-hunger advocates, think tanks and organizations, the Post noted, and the threat to fire her has sparked concerns and outrage among other USDA workers and members of the Federal Unionists Network, who argue that the move is part of a concerted effort by the Trump administration to chill speech among federal employees."
Ellen Mei, a Food and Nutrition Service program specialist and union president for her Northeast division, was furloughed during the government shutdown and appeared on MSNBC on Oct. 2 to describe SNAP impacts. One day later she received a human resources notice saying she would be fired 30 days after the end of the shutdown for discussing the agency without prior approval and was given 20 days to contest the termination. SNAP benefits were suspended during the shutdown, prompting 25 states and the District of Columbia to sue the USDA seeking emergency fund use. The firing threat triggered concern among USDA employees and federal unions about chilling employee speech.
Read at www.mediaite.com
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