The day after the presidential election, as Donald Trump basked in his victory, a person at the Department of Veterans Affairs sent a dire warning to officials in the U.S. Office of Special Counsel.
Under the incoming Trump administration, the person believed, “federal employees will be made to make an oath of fealty to Donny the Felon,” a person with an official VA.gov email address wrote on Nov. 6, 2024. “We will be forced to undergo ‘Leadership Training’ designed to indoctrinate into the new administration’s litmus test of loyalty. IF and WHEN this occurs, when I am forced to pledge or lose my (OUR) job(s) — what do I do?”
The author with the VA.gov email address concluded: “These are not idle concerns of a crack pot. This is a serios [sic] concern that needs immediate attention and response as to safe guard federal employees from being pressed into a morally/legally compromising situation.”
The email — part of 33 pages’ worth of partially redacted government documents obtained by NOTUS this week through a Freedom of Information Act request — captures a sense of anger, fear and exasperation within the Office of Special Counsel in the hours and days after Trump’s win.
As an independent federal investigative and prosecutorial agency, the OSC is tasked with combating federal workforce corruption, protecting government whistleblowers and enforcing the Hatch Act, which limits partisan political activity by government employees.
Trump — who has long accused “deep state” actors within executive branch agencies of plotting against him — last week nominated former far-right podcaster Paul Ingrassia to lead the OSC. In February, Trump fired Joe Biden’s OSC appointee, Hampton Dellinger.
Dellinger briefly fought his dismissal, arguing that Trump only had the legal authority to end his five-year term for “inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance in office.” But Dellinger ultimately gave up, telling NPR that while he wanted to fight on, it wasn’t worth the effort.
In a report to Congress immediately before Trump fired him, Dellinger warned that OSC was already suffering from inadequate staffing, increasing caseloads and meager funding that could “compromise OSC’s ability to address governmental inefficiencies.”
He also cautioned lawmakers that the office’s technology was subpar and the office “has not had sufficient resources to invest in necessary technological enhancements.”
One Nov. 6, 2024, email exchange between two OSC officials is filled with foreboding — and foreshadowed Dellinger’s ouster.
“Lots of concerns. Including for OSC political leadership,” one official, whose name is redacted, wrote the morning major news outlets called the presidential race for Trump.
“What do you mean? I thought the appointment was for 5 years?” the other official responded seconds later, then added: “I was definitely aware of concerns regarding OSC continuing to exist.”
“Yeah the appointment is 5 years, but the Project 2025 folks want to replace a lot of political people with loyalists,” the first official responded. “We’re a small agency so usually we can fly under the radar. But next election cycle, if his people act the way they did last time, there will be a lot of Hatch Act violation notices [sent] to the WH.”
The first official continues: “Now they could just ignore them and make fun of us, like they did last time, or they could decide to just get rid of the problem by getting rid of Hamp …”
“Not sure who will want to join Hamp’s staff with that sword hanging over their head,” the other emailer responded.
The back-and-forth banter continued.
“Fair point about joining OSC at this time …”
“I too am questioning my career decisions hahahaha …”
“Yeah not the best time to be a political …”
“OSC is safe I think. Like I said, the peril is at the top. I think OSC because of it’s [sic] independence and small staff, makes it more secure than other places.”
“I hope that turns out to be true. I will enjoy my employment for as long as it may last lol.”
In another email exchange from the morning of Trump’s victory, two OSC officials were dismayed by the outcome of the election.
“How are you doing this morning,” one asked.
“Lol. I needed the distraction to help the day go by,” the other replied.
“Very understandable.”
“I don’t even know how to respond. I guess scared/concerned is the theme.”
“Woke up to texts from family abroad. They can’t believe it.”
“How are you feeling?”
“I honestly can’t believe it either! I went to bed at 1am still cautiously hopeful, woke up at 4 am and immediately checked the status and couldn’t go back to sleep.”
“Yeah same. I was hoping things could turn around overnight, but I wasn’t confident.”
“Today should have been a day for agency directed leave LOL”
“Lol, it should have!”
NOTUS obtained the OSC documents more than six months after initially filing a FOIA request for them.
The office initially denied the FOIA request, but NOTUS obtained the requested documents after appealing the ruling in April.
In a statement to NOTUS following publication of this article, the White House said that “it comes as no surprise that elements of the federal government are imbedded with radical leftist partisans that are more committed to their party than the people they are tasked to serve.”
The White House continued: “The president has made it clear if anyone in the federal government is willingly obstructing the will of the American people, they are not welcomed in this administration, and the uncovering of these documents proves what we already know. The ‘swamp’ is real, and the president is committed to dismantling it.”
The Office of Special Counsel did not respond to NOTUS’ inquiries.
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Dave Levinthal is a Washington, D.C.-based investigative journalist.