webfact Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Trump administration seeks to muzzle U.S. agency employees By Valerie Volcovici and P.J. Huffstutter REUTERS U.S. President Donald Trump speaks while signing executive orders at the White House in Washington January 24, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque WASHINGTON/CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump'sadministration has moved in the past week to curb the flow of information from several government agencies involved in environmental issues in actions that may have been designed to discourage dissenting views. Employees at the Environmental Protection Agency, the Interior Department, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have seen directives from the newly minted leadership seeking to limit how they communicate to the public, according to multiple sources. The moves have reinforced concerns that Trump, a climate change doubter, could seek to sideline scientific research showing that carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels contributes to global warming, as well as the career staffers at the agencies that conduct much of this research. All of the agencies affected by the actions have some input on issues related to the environment and have been involved in various efforts related to climate change, including effects on natural resources and human health. On Tuesday, a source at the EPA said that staff had been told by members of the Trump administration not to speak to reporters or publish any press releases or blog posts on social media. EPA staff have also been asked not to publicize any talks, conferences, or webinars that had been planned for the next 60 days, the staffer said, asking not to be named. Asked if the EPA had been gagged, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said on Tuesday: "I don't know ... we're looking into it. ... I don't think it's a surprise we're going to review the policies, but I don't have any info at this time." The agency also was asked by the White House on Monday to temporarily halt all contracts and grants pending a review, according to multiple sources. The EPA awards billions of dollars worth of grants and contracts every year to support programs around environmental testing, cleanups and research. "EPA staff have been reviewing grants and contracts information with the incoming transition team," EPA spokeswoman Julia Valentine said in a statement. "The goal is to complete the grants and contracts review by the close of business on Friday, Jan. 27." Environmental groups reacted with outrage. New York's attorney general, Eric Schneiderman, said in reaction to the freeze that his office "will examine all legal options to ensure the EPA meets its obligations to keep our state’s air and water safe." U.S. Department of Agriculture employees on Monday were also informed in a memo seen by Reuters that all communications with the media should be approved by the administration, and social media posts should be reviewed by managers "to remove references to policy priorities and initiatives of the previous Administration." The department, meanwhile, disavowed another email sent on Monday to its scientific research unit ordering the suspension of releasing "any public-facing documents," including news releases and photos, saying it was sent without permission and should not include a ban on publication of peer-reviewed scientific papers. Officials at HHS also received a memo ordering them not to send “any correspondence” to other public officials. Instead, they must refer any requests for information to senior leaders, who are not to do anything until they have received instructions from the White House staff on its policies, according to a source who read the memo. Last week, staff at the Interior Department were told to stop posting on Twitter after an employee retweeted posts about the relatively low attendance at Trump's inauguration, and about how the issues of climate change and civil rights had disappeared from the White House website. The department has since resumed tweeting - though some tweets have been deleted. On Tuesday, Badlands National Park, located in South Dakota and part of the Department of Interior, posted a series of Tweets about climate change: "Today, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is higher than at any time in the last 650,000 years. #climate," one of the tweets read. By Tuesday afternoon, the tweets were gone. Trump has promised to promote oil drilling and mining by cutting regulation, including by targeting former President Barack Obama's initiative to combat climate change. Trump also has suggested pulling the United States out of a global pact on climate change signed by nearly 200 countries last year. Trump's nominees to run the EPA, Interior and the Department of Agriculture - Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, Representative Ryan Zinke of Montana and former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue, respectively - are awaiting Senate confirmation. Trump has drawn heavily from the energy industry lobby and pro-drilling think tanks to build a team charged with preparing the EPA for its new leadership, according to a list of the newly introduced 10-member team seen by Reuters on Monday. An EPA spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Additional reporting by John Walcott, Additional reporting and writing by Richard Valdmanis; Editing by Leslie Adler) -- © Copyright Reuters 2017-01-25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PREM-R Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Another day and another step towards his 'Grassy Knoll'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilostmypassword Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 12 minutes ago, PREM-R said: Another day and another step towards his 'Grassy Knoll'. You mean because he has angered those powerful and secretive interests who support more openness in government? You suffer from a very recherché form of paranoia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enoon Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 (edited) 2 hours ago, ilostmypassword said: You mean because he has angered those powerful and secretive interests who support more openness in government? You suffer from a very recherché form of paranoia. No. He is so abhorrent, to so many people, that it could be anyone, anywhere, for any one of a multitude of reasons. Because: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Edmund Burke, 1729-1797, British Political Theorist, Philosopher, Member of Parliament, supporter of the American Revolution. Edited January 25, 2017 by Enoon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike324 Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Trumps plan is to deregulate the EPA in order to bring jobs back. This is why the heads of the auto industry are ok during their meeting with Trump. Trump supporters, please explain why deregulating the EPA is good for the country? All I can think of its more pollution and waste not treated/thrown out properly by manufacturers. The fact that Trump wants to revive the coal industry, coal is dirty and bad for the environment. The jobs there will never come back, wake up folks! Its a sunset industry and people need to move on to the sustainable industry where jobs are growing. These coal towns simply needs to adapt to the society or they will become a ghost town themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilostmypassword Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 1 minute ago, mike324 said: Trumps plan is to deregulate the EPA in order to bring jobs back. This is why the heads of the auto industry are ok during their meeting with Trump. Trump supporters, please explain why deregulating the EPA is good for the country? All I can think of its more pollution and waste not treated/thrown out properly by manufacturers. The fact that Trump wants to revive the coal industry, coal is dirty and bad for the environment. The jobs there will never come back, wake up folks! Its a sunset industry and people need to move on to the sustainable industry where jobs are growing. These coal towns simply needs to adapt to the society or they will become a ghost town themselves. The big reason coal is in decline is the free market. Methane has become so cheap thanks to fracking that coal can't compete. On the other hand, when you consider all the income that coal mining generates for the medical industry, maybe doctors should start giving coal mine owners a subsidy in the form of kickbacks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emster23 Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Divide, conquer and throw in a black hole. So much for returning the government to the people. The amazing insanity of this order is mind boggling: departments can't communicate with each other? Imagine gag order one way to stop Labor dept from releasing data on jobs, inflation, etc. Extend to the Fed? That will do wonders to financial sector. As Monty Python might quip "say no more" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaywardWind Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 4 hours ago, mike324 said: Trumps plan is to deregulate the EPA in order to bring jobs back. This is why the heads of the auto industry are ok during their meeting with Trump. Trump supporters, please explain why deregulating the EPA is good for the country? All I can think of its more pollution and waste not treated/thrown out properly by manufacturers. The fact that Trump wants to revive the coal industry, coal is dirty and bad for the environment. The jobs there will never come back, wake up folks! Its a sunset industry and people need to move on to the sustainable industry where jobs are growing. These coal towns simply needs to adapt to the society or they will become a ghost town themselves. At its peak in the 70s, there were about a quarter million coal miners in the US, and that is now down to 54,000; so at best, all other factors ignored (competition from cheap natural gas, increased alternative energy use, etc) possibly 200,000 jobs could be restored, and virtually every expert in the energy field says that that is a pipe dream. A recent study by George Washington University estimates that repealing the Affordable Care Act would result in the loss of 2,598,800 jobs, primarily of skilled medical personnel. Seems to me that the administration has its priorities screwed up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilostmypassword Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 12 minutes ago, WaywardWind said: At its peak in the 70s, there were about a quarter million coal miners in the US, and that is now down to 54,000; so at best, all other factors ignored (competition from cheap natural gas, increased alternative energy use, etc) possibly 200,000 jobs could be restored, and virtually every expert in the energy field says that that is a pipe dream. A recent study by George Washington University estimates that repealing the Affordable Care Act would result in the loss of 2,598,800 jobs, primarily of skilled medical personnel. Seems to me that the administration has its priorities screwed up. Actually, given the vast improvement in productivity thanks to mining tools and technology, there's no way that that any coal miners would be rehired anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaywardWind Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 4 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said: Actually, given the vast improvement in productivity thanks to mining tools and technology, there's no way that that any coal miners would be rehired anyway Precisely. Even the coal mine owner who was advising Trump during the campaign supposedly told him to "temper his remarks," advice that Trump ignored. Yet it is full steam ahead to repeal the health care act, and lose 2.6 million jobs...the stupidity is breathtaking.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JXCutter Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Just a few more ignorant comments from Non-US citizens. All these anti-Trump losers are just worried that he is going to stop them from sucking off the US tit...and they should be worried. My advice, go back and worry about your own country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunroaming Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 The coal industry died in the UK years ago as well. Brought poverty and hardship to the areas that relied almost totally on the mines. Slowly alternatives were found and now most of the areas are improving though there is some way to go. It sucks but you have to move forward. Trump appears to want to move backwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilostmypassword Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 7 minutes ago, JXCutter said: Just a few more ignorant comments from Non-US citizens. All these anti-Trump losers are just worried that he is going to stop them from sucking off the US tit...and they should be worried. My advice, go back and worry about your own country. Odd comment about ignorance coming from someone who has said nothing here that can be proven. Basically just name-calling. For all we know, you're not a citizen of the USA. And knowledge is knowledge. It doesn't depend on citizenship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilostmypassword Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 22 minutes ago, JXCutter said: Just a few more ignorant comments from Non-US citizens. All these anti-Trump losers are just worried that he is going to stop them from sucking off the US tit...and they should be worried. My advice, go back and worry about your own country. Upon further thought I do have to concede that at least in one respect your allegations here are superior to Trump's: His are demonstrably false, whereas yours are merely unproveable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuakmuaynina Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 How will he get away with it though? Free Speech is enshrined in the constitution. Scrutiny and our ability to criticise leaders/governments is all part of democracy... oh wait.. the snowflake probably wants to scrap that too. I'm starting to think V for Vendetta and 1984 were premonitions not a work of fiction.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunroaming Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Maybe Trump is working on his infamy? As Kenneth Williams once said "Infamy! Infamy! They've all got it in for me!". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elgordo38 Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 8 hours ago, webfact said: On Tuesday, a source at the EPA said that staff had been told by members of the Trump administration not to speak to reporters or publish any press releases or blog posts on social media. EPA staff have also been asked not to publicize any talks, conferences, or webinars that had been planned for the next 60 days, the staffer said, asking not to be named. Forget about Putin Trump has been talking to Kuddly Kim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaywardWind Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 1 hour ago, JXCutter said: Just a few more ignorant comments from Non-US citizens. All these anti-Trump losers are just worried that he is going to stop them from sucking off the US tit...and they should be worried. My advice, go back and worry about your own country. Who are you talking about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAMBOO13 Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron . H. L. Mencken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Srikcir Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 9 hours ago, webfact said: curb the flow of information from several government agencies Trump's term may become known as the Rise of Whitsleblowers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thakkar Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Half a century ago, the US federal government launched Apollo 11. Half an hour ago, it forced a national park to delete a science tweet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenl Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Trump's plan is to silence anybody who criticizes him. As I said earlier, this is getting really dangerous.Sent from my ROBBY using Thaivisa Connect mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rojelio Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 (edited) It would be difficult to find more ignorance on display in any one publication than is evident in this forum. Just goes to demonstrate that you retired expats need to find a hobby other than throwing insults at each other about things you know nothing about. Get a real life. Edited January 25, 2017 by Rojelio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunroaming Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Rojelio, thanks for joining the discussion on this topic. What are your thoughts on how Trump is doing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thakkar Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 12 minutes ago, Rojelio said: It would be difficult to find more ignorance on display in any one publication than is evident in this forum. Just goes to demonstrate that you retired expats need to find a hobby other than throwing insults at each other about things you know nothing about. Get a real life. You mean we're not living in the matrix. You're the Oracle, and you're messin' with us—admit it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elgordo38 Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 2 minutes ago, Thakkar said: You mean we're not living in the matrix. You're the Oracle, and you're messin' with us—admit it! Somebody is force feeding somebody information stop it!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thakkar Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 1 hour ago, Srikcir said: Trump's term may become known as the Rise of Whitsleblowers. This may suit his agenda: keeping agencies busy with investigations of leaks and thus interfering with people doing their jobs, many of which involve oversight and regulations compliance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dumbastheycome Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 8 hours ago, mike324 said: Trumps plan is to deregulate the EPA in order to bring jobs back. This is why the heads of the auto industry are ok during their meeting with Trump. Trump supporters, please explain why deregulating the EPA is good for the country? All I can think of its more pollution and waste not treated/thrown out properly by manufacturers. The fact that Trump wants to revive the coal industry, coal is dirty and bad for the environment. The jobs there will never come back, wake up folks! Its a sunset industry and people need to move on to the sustainable industry where jobs are growing. These coal towns simply needs to adapt to the society or they will become a ghost town themselves. It is because it is a populist appeal to the peasants and a last minute profit to the greedy. If doom is nigh why not get it over with ???? ( Black humour does have some merit ! ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallGuyJohninBKK Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 I've followed U.S. politics pretty closely for a couple of decades. And I must say, I can't recall ever hearing of an incoming U.S. administration adopted and enforcing these kinds of federal agency gag orders across such a broad scale. This guy and his cronies have no respect for ethics and propriety in government. He seems to think the entire federal goverment is just an extension of his private businesses and he can simply do whatever he likes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elgordo38 Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Just now, TallGuyJohninBKK said: I've followed U.S. politics pretty closely for a couple of decades. And I must say, I can't recall ever hearing of an incoming U.S. administration adopted and enforcing these kinds of federal agency gag orders across such a broad scale. This guy and his cronies have no respect for ethics and propriety in government. He seems to think the entire federal goverment is just an extension of his private businesses and he can simply do whatever he likes. Yes the leopard is changing his spots fast. If you have been around the block for decades you must have had a clue this was coming. Keeping a tight lid on what goes in and out of the government is a top priority apparently with Trump. Just let the good news seep out and keep a lid on the bad stuff. Never changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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