Newt Suggests Firing Liberal Federal Employees

[Lakhota]

By Ryan J. Reilly

Republican Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich suggested at a Fox News forum hosted by Mike Huckabee in South Carolina on Saturday that it would be a good idea to fire federal employees for being too liberal. Federal law, on the other hand, says Gingrich’s plan would be illegal.

“I think an intelligent conservative wants the right federal employees delivering the right services in a highly efficient way and then wants to get rid of those folks who are in fact wasteful, or those folks who are ideologically so far to the left, or those people who want to frankly dictate to the rest of us,” Gingrich said in response to a question from a federal employee at the forum (emphasis ours).

This sounds like it would come uncomfortably close to being in conflict with a Federal law making it illegal to take any personnel action against an employee “based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicapping condition, marital status, or political affiliation.” Accusations that political affiliation was taken into account would be investigated by the Office of Special Counsel (except in certain government agencies).

That said, a putative Gingrich administration would be following in the footsteps of George W. Bush’s. A report by the Justice Department’s internal investigators found that Bush administration officials discriminated against liberal employees in the Civil Rights Division and hired lawyers based on their conservative ideology.

Gingrich Suggests Illegally Firing Federal Employees Over Liberal Views | TPM2012

 

[Lakhota]

Purge the Liberals!

 

[CaféAuLait]

I'd like to see what he was answering. Strange that each left wing article has left the question out that he was asked. Was he speaking about elections?

Secondly, did Obama keep all the republican staff when he entered the WH? Or did he hire his team? Just as all presidents do.

 

[Lakhota]

I'd like to see what he was answering. Strange that each left wing article has left the question out that he was asked. Was he speaking about elections?

Secondly, did Obama keep all the republican staff when he entered the WH? Or did he hire his team? Just as all presidents do.

Sounds like you're trying to compare apples and oranges. Presidents are allowed to have their own teams. But messing with career federal employees is another matter.

 

[CaféAuLait]

I'd like to see what he was answering. Strange that each left wing article has left the question out that he was asked. Was he speaking about elections?

Secondly, did Obama keep all the republican staff when he entered the WH? Or did he hire his team? Just as all presidents do.

Sounds like you're trying to compare apples and oranges. Presidents are allowed to have their own teams. But messing with career federal employees is another matter.

Again, what was the question he answered? Can't say a whole lot about it without that pertinent bit of information.

 

[bripat9643]

Newt Suggests Firing Liberal Federal Employees

As opposed to the Obama Administration which doesn't hire anyone who isn't a loyal member in good standing in the Democrat Party. And, of course, no conservative professor in the liberal arts or social sciences has been given a job in the last 40 years.

 

[Lakhota]

Newt dreams of Newtopia.

 

[IndependntLogic]

By Ryan J. Reilly

Republican Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich suggested at a Fox News forum hosted by Mike Huckabee in South Carolina on Saturday that it would be a good idea to fire federal employees for being too liberal. Federal law, on the other hand, says Gingrich’s plan would be illegal.

“I think an intelligent conservative wants the right federal employees delivering the right services in a highly efficient way and then wants to get rid of those folks who are in fact wasteful, or those folks who are ideologically so far to the left, or those people who want to frankly dictate to the rest of us,” Gingrich said in response to a question from a federal employee at the forum (emphasis ours).

This sounds like it would come uncomfortably close to being in conflict with a Federal law making it illegal to take any personnel action against an employee “based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicapping condition, marital status, or political affiliation.” Accusations that political affiliation was taken into account would be investigated by the Office of Special Counsel (except in certain government agencies).

That said, a putative Gingrich administration would be following in the footsteps of George W. Bush’s. A report by the Justice Department’s internal investigators found that Bush administration officials discriminated against liberal employees in the Civil Rights Division and hired lawyers based on their conservative ideology.

Gingrich Suggests Illegally Firing Federal Employees Over Liberal Views | TPM2012

Oh hell, Newt has said stuff a LOT more stupid and offensive than this. Besides, it's not like he said "I would fire Liberal employees."

He's out anyway so who cares?

 

[occupied]

The idea man comes up with another winner, lol, the law suits would pay for themselves! The sooner he sinks back into political irrelevancy the better everyone will be.

 

[Lakhota]

Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Lakhota]

U.S. Office of Special Counsel: Prohibited Personnel Practices

 

[Photonic]

I can't think of a question that this could answer that wouldn't be incredibly offensive to the democratic way of life.

 

[Lakhota]

I can't think of a question that this could answer that wouldn't be incredibly offensive to the democratic way of life.

Nor could I.

 

[ScienceRocks]

I wouldn't fire democrats or anyone that did a good job at there job. I'd need a really good reason that has to do with the job at hand to fire them....Of course "maybe" we could reduce the public sector in overall size and increase the private, but this isn't what he hinted at!

 

[ScienceRocks]

Besides this I think Newt did a ok job at explaining his case.

I'd say
1# Perry
2# Newt
3# Mitt
4# Huntsman
5# Santorum

 

[Sarah G]

By Ryan J. Reilly

Republican Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich suggested at a Fox News forum hosted by Mike Huckabee in South Carolina on Saturday that it would be a good idea to fire federal employees for being too liberal. Federal law, on the other hand, says Gingrich’s plan would be illegal.

“I think an intelligent conservative wants the right federal employees delivering the right services in a highly efficient way and then wants to get rid of those folks who are in fact wasteful, or those folks who are ideologically so far to the left, or those people who want to frankly dictate to the rest of us,” Gingrich said in response to a question from a federal employee at the forum (emphasis ours).

This sounds like it would come uncomfortably close to being in conflict with a Federal law making it illegal to take any personnel action against an employee “based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicapping condition, marital status, or political affiliation.” Accusations that political affiliation was taken into account would be investigated by the Office of Special Counsel (except in certain government agencies).

That said, a putative Gingrich administration would be following in the footsteps of George W. Bush’s. A report by the Justice Department’s internal investigators found that Bush administration officials discriminated against liberal employees in the Civil Rights Division and hired lawyers based on their conservative ideology.

Gingrich Suggests Illegally Firing Federal Employees Over Liberal Views | TPM2012

Ha! He is such an asshole.

 

[California Girl]

Well, Newt sure worded that quite badly. But, it is interesting to note that people ignore the context - and therefore the substance of his comment, and choose to make it an outrage.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

Why bother firing them?

XXXXXXXX.

I'm so disappointed in this comment.

Likewise with your yes vote on the Giffords poll.

 

[Ravi]

Maybe hes suffering from dementia

 

[editec]

“I think an intelligent conservative wants the right federal employees delivering the right services in a highly efficient way and then wants to get rid of those folks who are in fact wasteful, or those folks who are ideologically so far to the left, or those people who want to frankly dictate to the rest of us,” Gingrich said in response to a question from a federal employee at the forum (emphasis ours).

This is just Newt getting in touch with his inner FASCIST.

Nothing to see here, folks, same old story.