Posted on 09/30/2013 5:25:43 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
It wasn't quite a "Network" moment, but normally mild-mannered Attorney General Eric Holder showed a flash of anger Monday as he discussed the impacts of a looming government shutdown and the so-called budget sequester on rank-and-file workers at the Justice Department.
"This has real-world consequences for the employees of this department, who have to pay mortgages, who have to pay car notes, who have to buy groceries and I think that is something that people as they're trying to make their political points need to keep in mind: there are good, hardworking Americans who are going to suffer because of this dysfunction—and I’m mad about that," Holder said, jabbing his index finger towards reporters as he expressed his ire.
Blame for the budget disorder lies "primarily" with the House of Representatives, said the attorney general—who found himself at such disagreement with the GOP-led House last year that it voted to hold him in contempt of Congress.
"I have to say that this is something it seems to me can be worked through. People are trying to make a polticial point and I’m trying to run a Justice Department," a frustrated Holder said. "We’re trying to keep the American people safe. We're trying to keep crime down."
"A substantial number of people in the Justice Department, assuming that the dysfunction is not worked out in the House today, are not going to be reporting for work tomorrow. That is going to have a disruptive effect on the work of the Justice Department," the attorney general added. "We will certainly make sure that national security is protected. On the criminal side, our lawyers, our investigators will still be in the field, but on the civil side and in a range of other things the Justice Department is entrusted to do, we will not do the job that the American people expect of us."
Under the department's shutdown plan, about 85% of its personnel will be on duty even if the budget standoff continues. Most of those employees have been deemed essential because they are involve in criminal law enforcement or guarding prisoners or have to meet court-imposed deadlines. Some can keep working because their salaries come from accounts funded by forfeitures or user fees.
In many ways, the more serious budget axe facing the department is the reduction required by sequestration. That doesn't exempt criminal enforcement or national security-related work. In fact, the fact that so many at DOJ are exempt from the shutdown means that it will be all but impossible for the department to absorb another year of sequestration cuts without laying off some of those involved in front-line law enforcement.
"Unless something is done to relieve us of the burden of sequestration, I can say that FBI agents and prosecutors will be furloughed," Holder said Monday. "What the number will be, we’re still in the process of working that through. Sequestration at the level we’ve have to deal with in past history, necessarily will result in furloughs."
awwww, they’re making the govt slug do extra shutdown work, poor baby
He must have gotten the memo.
All the usual slimy suspects were out in force today.
More like 'We’re trying to keep the American people down. We're trying to keep criminals safe.'
No S..it Dick Tracy. What about the rest of us who have to give up more and more of what we have earned to support those trough feeding layabouts? Time to call a halt to it! Past time actually!
Every day another increasingly flagrant insult to our intelligence.
And today's is a real doozy.
“This has real-world consequences for the employees of this department, who have to pay mortgages, who have to pay car notes, who have to buy groceries and I think that is something that people as they’re trying to make their political points need to keep in mind: there are good, hardworking Americans who are going to suffer because of this dysfunction—and I’m mad about that,” Holder said, jabbing his index finger towards reporters as he expressed his ire.”
Now you know how WE’VE felt the last 4+ years of this ‘my way or the highway’ administration of yours. I am fresh out of crying towels, you treasonous racist.
there, fixed it...
>>”A substantial number of people in the Justice Department, assuming that the dysfunction is not worked out in the House today, are not going to be reporting for work tomorrow.<<
Win, place and show for shutting it down!
bla blaaa blaaa
ONLY non essential personnel are told to stay home, Holder should have NO non essential personnel
At first, I thought this was a Semi-News/Semi-Satire column.....
He’s dancing around.
“We’re trying to keep the American people safe. We’re trying to keep crime down.”
an appropriate reply to this might be:
my ass.
vaudine
Who are they kidding? The guy is a first class racist prick.
“”This has real-world consequences for the employees of this department, who have to pay mortgages, who have to pay car notes, who have to buy groceries and I think that is something that people as they’re trying to make their political points need to keep in mind: there are good, hardworking Americans who are going to suffer because of this dysfunction—and I’m mad about that,” Holder said, jabbing his index finger towards reporters as he expressed his ire.”
When is the last time the Government had a layoff?
When is the last time the Private Sector had layoffs?
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