Exclusive: USDA inspector general escorted out of her office after defying White House

[nitpicked]

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/usda-inspector-general-escorted-out-her-office-after-defying-white-house-2025-01-29/



WASHINGTON, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Security agents escorted the inspector general of the U.S. Department of Agriculture out of her office on Monday after she refused to comply with her firing by the Trump administration, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Phyllis Fong, a 22-year veteran of the department, had earlier told colleagues that she intended to stay after the White House terminated her Friday, saying that she didn’t believe the administration had followed proper protocols, the sources said.

In an email to colleagues on Saturday, reviewed by Reuters, she said the independent Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency “has taken the position that these termination notices do not comply with the requirements set out in law and therefore are not effective at this time.”

The White House defended the firing of Fong and the other inspectors general, saying "these rogue, partisan bureaucrats... have been relieved of their duties in order to make room for qualified individuals who will uphold the rule of law and protect Democracy."
(snip)

[BOSSHOG]

1. They can type some shit

Rogue bureaucrats? Qualified individuals? protect democracy?

Does anyone wonder why trump loves stupid people?

[underpants]

3. I'm sure there's someone from ConAgra or Archer-Daniels

or someone from Big AG’s auditing firm who’d be willing to serve their country

[erronis]

16. Big AG (and Big Everything) spent good money on these politicians and lackeys.

Of course they should get their money's worth!

(Sarcasm)

[haryn]

15. No surprise

It's always been in the best interest of fascists to keep the populace uneducated and ignorant. Unfortunately, it works.

[The Unmitigated Gall]

31. Russian-style doublespeak. nt

[Doodley]

2. The White House calling her a "partisan bureaucrat" spells out the basis she has for a lawsuit.

[Initech]

7. These psychos seriously have the fucking nerve to say they're "protecting democracy".

While they're setting up a fucking dictatorship filled with ass kissers and bootlickers who will do their every evil bidding. The absolute nerve of these sick fucks!

[erronis]

17. As we should know by now, everything out of their mouths is a lie and a deflection. Trust me!

[benfranklin1776]

45. Yes indeed.

For them every accusation is an admission of their own vile motives. 🤬

[Initech]

59. 100%!

[Evolve Dammit]

55. Projection and doublespeak. Truth not necessary

[uponit7771]

64. THIS !!! Sue their assss ... Work the courts to shut MAGA mouths

[ProfessorPlum]

4. this is exactly what is required. Make them force the issue. Do not comply in advance

Fong is a real one

[KPN]

49. Yes. Too many people in important federal positions

simply retired rather than challenge trump the last time around. It takes courage so I certainly have no right to criticize them for that. But it’s pretty clear the only way our democracy will survive this second time is via courageous acts of resistance.

[Oneear]

5. With No Oversight on Food Safety

How will we know about inspections at the Border? Testing for Germs, bugs, and Lead on Fresh Produce, Fruits, and Vegetables. I do hope Donald Trump Puts Food Safety People as I Love to eat and not get sick from Food.

[erronis]

19. the poor little rich boy will have his usual coterie of food tasters

to sample his bugger before he chows down. Donnie 3bugger, 2scoops, 1dietcoke, 15 flushes.

(Wonder if he waits 30+ minutes to see if the taster shows signs of food poisoning - intentional or otherwise.)

[Initech]

6. Holy crap, he is such a petty, vindictive, satanic asshole!

[malaise]

42. A vile despicable monster

Let him keep this up

[Kid Berwyn]

8. Phyllis Fong is a patriot.

She swore to uphold the Constitution and has, even up to the face of MAGA.

[royable]

9. Why are the security agents following illegal orders?

Why is anybody?

[ScratchCat]

11. I said this in another thread on this

They were already told by the person who has authority here that the firings are not valid. The security agent risks prosecution.

[Think. Again.]

43. Start filing cases!

[KPN]

50. Yes, they are relative little people. Their livelihood

depends on keeping their superiors happy, who depend on keeping trump’s appointees happy.

[EdmondDantes_]

23. I would assume two reasons

Security is likely to be former military/police and follow chain of command, and if that's the case, more likely to be Republican.

They are probably paid a lot less than the IG. It's hard to risk getting fired if you're living paycheck to paycheck.

And just because someone says something is illegal, doesn't mean that it is. It certainly seems to be in this case, but asking someone to risk their job on the word of someone else is hard.

[AverageOldGuy]

10. I'm just waiting . . .

I live in a rural Virginia county, the county survives on farming.

Try this: Google "UDSA subsidies to (name of a county) " and see what happens. Farmers in my county have received an average of $1.5 million per year for the past 25 years.

One of our farmers has pulled a slick trick: He owns or leases land in three counties, so, he has incorporated three companies "His Name Farms of xxx county," "of yyyy county," and "of zzz county." This guy has been raking in an average of close to $1 million per year for the three counties.

So -- I'm just waiting. Waiting for Trump's cuts to hit the USDA crop support, crop insurance, loan support, and the like payments and when all of a sudden his checks dry up, I'll put letters to the editors in all our local papers, laughing my ass off at the fact that Trump just stabbed his farmer voters in the back.

[ScratchCat]

13. I've noted this as well

There are hundreds of thousands of Republican voters who have gotten rich off of Federal government subsidies and contracts. Very rich. They wont like any "freeze" very much. Not at all.

[erronis]

22. I'll bet there's a way to "buy" your way back onto gravy trail.

First declare fealty. Then some large purchase of some worthless crypto branded by the trump crims.

[progressoid]

37. Same thing here.

I know a couple small farmers who will get hurt. They may even lose their farms without subsidies. But this has been going on for decades. They vote for republicans because the media tells them Democrats are the problem. Maybe this will wake them up.

Of course this will also help the larger corporate farms. They can come in and swallow up the dying farms. So while it may shift voter preferences away from Drumpf, it will only worsen the corporate stranglehold on our food production. Not to mention their impact on the environment.

[live love laugh]

38. They won't touch farmers. Too many are white imho.

[progressoid]

39. Here's the database to find out how much federal $$ your neighbors are getting

https://farm.ewg.org/index.php

[BoRaGard]

12. G.O.P. Gestapo getting warmed up

[orangecrush]

14. Is it time

To march on Washington yet?

[erronis]

24. I'm thinking there will be some actions.

Wondering if trump will test his flaccidity with a security reaction.

[orangecrush]

28. Of course he will

And will show his real face.

[malaise]

18. Off to court

This is HUGE

Rec

[William Seger]

33. I'm getting a little nervous about decoys...

... crap they must know isn't going to stick but does make fodder for the news cycle, exciting the cult, while hoping less obvious power grabs and abuses might fly under the radar. Same thing for the birthright citizen thing -- that can't possibly go anywhere without a constitutional amendment, but it's a big shiny thing attracting attention from both sides. I sincerely hope Dems have a lot of legal power on reserve -- there was never any doubt about this, we're sure as hell going to need it.

[William Seger]

20. "The White House defended the firing..." the same way any fascist would: Enemy of the state

[RoseTrellis]

25. Get outta here!

Enjoy your pizza

[GP6971]

57. Looks like you've been here before.

[gopiscrap]

65. welcome to DU

[sarisataka]

26. Welcome to DU

GFY troll

[MarineCombatEngineer]

46. Damn, I missed it,

but now, I can see it.

[sarisataka]

47. It was quite blatant

Enjoy your term!

[MarineCombatEngineer]

48. Yeah it was.

Thanks, hoping I can contribute more than my last stint.

[ismnotwasm]

27. Back atcha.

[orangecrush]

29. GFY

[Voltaire2]

30. Good. She now has standing and can sue and get this blocked.

[Botany]

41. I hope she sues the shit out of who or whomever fired her.

N/t

[Conjuay]

44. Death threats in 3,2,1...

That’s how him and his goon squad operate.

[pfitz59]

32. Salmonella, ecoli and listeria all applaud

her ouster.

[bif]

34. Who need oversight on food & drugs? Huge waste of money!

[live love laugh]

35. "Rogue"⁉️

[moniss]

36. Amazing that Homan and Dr. Phil weren't there demanding to

see her proof of citizenship.

[ultralite001]

40. Reinstate Phyllis Fong...

Patriots + Civil Servants deserve our support + protection...

[patphil]

51. These people haven't been fired, only removed from office.

As usual, Trump didn't follow the rule of law; totally ignored the process for firing an Inspector General.

[oldmanlynn]

52. Reuters still having to do both sides

By claiming or writing up what Trump said that it’s a partisan bureaucrat which is a lie and that the new person is coming in to uphold law and order and democracy. Another lie and writers just print it as if it were all legitimate.

[rasputin1952]

53. This is ripe for a lawsuit...

From what I gather, the process was not followed.

I'm calling my (all 3 R's) Senators and Rep immediately after I finish this posting.

[jmowreader]

54. The article explains what makes her a "rogue, partisan bureaucrat"

She was investigating one of Elon Musk's companies, that brain-chip thing he set up, so obviously she has to go.

[Magoo48]

56. May we all be courageous

[louis-t]

58. Every time someone gives in to his whims

he gets stronger.

[Karasu]

60. On what authority? Oh, right. The fictional mandate all fascists all love to give themselves.

[Norbert]

61. A 22 year veteran is not a qualified individual

I guess she had no intention to bow down to the king.

[barbtries]

62. this

fills me with dread.

[bif]

63. The insanity continues!