Yes, you're reading that headline right: there's a proposed rule that would give the administration control of who federal agencies hire and fire. This politicization of our civil service is bad for the American people.
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Yes, you're reading that headline right: there's a proposed rule that would give the administration control of who federal agencies hire and fire. This politicization of our civil service is bad for the American people.
POGO's David Janovsky is in CNN warning that further domestic deployments to cities is "an inherently escalatory situation that puts … the folks who live in these cities and service members who are sent in in a dangerous and volatile situation.”
Recent cuts to the Pentagon's DOT&E office could have a real impact on troop safety. Congress needs to step up to protect this important office. Lives depend on it.
This is blatant retaliation. If government employees can't speak out when they see policies that will harm the people they serve, then we are headed in a dangerous direction.
If what this whistleblower says is true, DOGE recklessly put YOUR information on an unsecured server. We wish we were surprised by this news, but we have been concerned from the start about how this rogue agency's disregard for the law would manifest: bit.ly/4fSEYik
Not only that, but even SCOTUS has agreed that pretrial detention should be the exception, not the norm. We wrote about the problems with it back in 2020:
This order is a radical power grab. If the president can use federal funding to attack cities and states whose policies he disagrees with, there's no limit to what this administration— or any future one— could impose.
President Trump's plan to remove a Federal Reserve Governor appears to be another example of executive overreach. For-cause removal protections are key to protecting the Federal Reserve's independence. It's deeply troubling to see Trump testing those limits.
The federal government continues to turn DC into a police state, now pushing for the National Guard to enforce federal law in the city. This order is not based on a real need by DC. It's meant to invoke fear — a telltale sign of authoritarianism. https://bit.ly/3UHzddJ
It is illegal and unconstitutional to threaten deportation in an attempt to coerce a guilty plea. But that's exactly what the Trump administration is trying to do in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. https://www.npr.org/2025/08/25/nx-s1-5515422/kilmar-abrego-garcia-detained-ice
NEW from the POGO Investigations desk: The Golden Dome missile defense project could be a “slush fund” for tech companies AND for high-level Trump administration officials with financial stakes: https://bit.ly/3UGPqjl
Attempting to coerce a guilty plea, and attempting to use deportation as a punishment, are both illegal and unconstitutional. I sincerely hope the district courts stop this. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
We are glad to see Kilmar Abrego Garcia released from custody with some protection against another wrongful removal. But we still have a lot of work to do to ensure others suffering abuse in U.S. immigration detention centers receive the justice they deserve as well. abcnews.go.com/Politics/kil...
This is yet another story showing the many dangers of deploying the military in our cities. Massive, dangerous military vehicles have no place in our streets. This abuse of power needs to stop. https://www.npr.org/2025/08/20/g-s1-83950/national-guard-dc-crash
You also deserve a government that is focused on providing vital services to its citizens without the influence of partisan politics. Call your senators and tell them to do the right thing and reject this unserious nomination. Capitol switchboard number: (202) 224-3121
The Senate already postponed his hearing once because of concerns over his history. We need to keep up the momentum and ensure he doesn’t get confirmed.
Federal workers deserve better from the office that is supposed to protect them when they speak out about corruption or abuses of power.
Ingrassia is completely unfit because he: · has called gov't workers “parasites” · spouted conspiracy theories on his podcast · even called for a national holiday to honor—yes, honor—Jan 6th rioters And if all that wasn’t enough? He has only been a lawyer for just over a year.
The Trump administration nominated Paul Ingrassia to lead the Office of Special Counsel, which protects federal workers from retaliation and unfair firings. He's an incredibly dangerous nominee. Keep reading to learn why⬇️
This is an unprecedented attempt by the administration to obtain the medical information of patients. At the end of last year, our Don Bell wrote about the consequences of surveillance on vulnerable people seeking medical care:
Also, make sure to read our investigation into how surveillance technology aids the enforcement of anti-trans laws:
This is an unprecedented attempt by the administration to obtain the medical information of patients. At the end of last year, our Don Bell wrote about the consequences of surveillance on vulnerable people seeking medical care:
We've been calling on Congress to protect its spending power. We're glad to see the Senate taking a small step to safeguard its spending decisions next year. Congress needs to keep fighting back.
What's at risk when the Trump administration deploys the military into American cities? Our democracy, our safety, and our military's own readiness. Last month, @virginiajburger.bsky.social broke it all down in this piece, which unfortunately remains relevant today:
Check out one of the letters here:
Last week @oversightdemocrats.house.gov wrote to multiple agency heads pointing out serious instances of the admin undermining vital work of inspectors general. Their independence is essential to keeping our government running. We'll be keeping an eye out for these agencies' responses.
Also, we wouldn’t even have this information if groups like @citizensforethics.org and @protectdemocracy.org hadn’t sued to keep it public. Thank you for taking action!
Congress represents you. That’s one of the main reasons why they determine how YOUR money is spent. The executive branch is currently eroding the very balance of powers that our democracy relies on. We’re going to keep fighting to hold our constitutional safeguards in place.
This administration continues to try to block funding that Congress has already approved. We’ve said it before— Congress needs to reclaim its power of the purse. This is unconstitutional and completely undemocratic.
This is a win for transparency. We pushed to have this website put back up because it's absolutely essential to making sure both Congress and the public know how our tax $$ are being spent.
The Trump administration keeps making moves to cut the people out of key decisions, which simply isn’t how a democracy is supposed to work.
The American people deserve more opportunities to comment on pending government rules and regulations—not less. This is a step in the wrong direction.
Last week President Trump took control of the Metropolitan Police Department and announced plans to send the National Guard into our nation’s capital. Congress must do everything it can to stop this. Tell them to act NOW.
This is just the latest in a series of masked, unidentified law enforcement officers arresting people. This is what the federal takeover of DC law enforcement looks like, and it's incredibly dangerous. Congress must step in.
Congress has to take action and stop President Trump's authoritarian takeover of DC law enforcement. Make your voice heard now:
There's no real emergency in Washington, DC that justifies this federal power grab. We're glad to see city officials fighting back against the takeover of the MPD.
This was all a textbook conflict of interest. You deserve a government that you can trust, and that isn't riddled with officials benefitting off of their own jobs. We're committed to calling out abuses of power where we see them.
Now, let’s be clear. Miller should not have held onto these stocks for so long, and he sold them at a time when this stock was at a record high. A record high, we should note, that was largely a result of the partnership with ICE that Miller had a part in arranging.
MAJOR IMPACT: We just learned via ethics disclosures that Stephen Miller has sold much of his stake in #Palantir—the same stake we exposed in our June investigation. Thread ⬇️
What we're seeing in Washington, D.C. is an authoritarian power grab. Tell your member of Congress that they need to do everything in their power to stop the federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department and act as a real check on abuses of power.
Facts matter. That’s why we need independence for those who gather the federal statistics we depend on. These comments are an attack on data integrity. www.govexec.com/management/2...
This is a must-read analysis of DOGE data. Long story short: the administration has drastically exaggerated its savings from DOGE-related cuts.
Read our most recent investigation into this:
Unfortunately, we aren’t surprised by the findings of this survey. Our investigative team has been looking into the conditions in military housing for years, and we’ve seen these issues over and over.
Last night, the National Guard was deployed in Washington, D.C. This is a completely unjustified power grab. The Trump administration is exploiting loopholes in federal law to execute a takeover of the nation’s capital. Congress must end it immediately.
This plan is a disaster waiting to happen. And the administration knows it: the National Guard planning documents themselves note the many problems and concerns they have with occupying U.S. cities.
There’s a lot of problems with the Trump administration taking over the D.C. police force and planning to send the National Guard into the city. This article points out a big one: the powerful and unnecessary new surveillance powers the government will have over the city’s citizens.
Great news for anyone who cares how taxpayer dollars are spent. We supported the creation of this database because it’s a vital transparency tool, and we’re glad to see courts tell the administration to restore it. This is how the balance of powers is supposed to work.
It turns out the IRS Commissioner was ousted shortly after the agency denied DHS the private information of tens of thousands of taxpayers. For more on why other agencies accessing people’s private data is so dangerous, read Don Bell’s latest:
Also, it’s important to note— crime in Washington, D.C. is at a 30-year low.
This is what authoritarianism looks like. This is serious federal overreach, and Congress needs to act. Call your member NOW at (202) 224-3121.
As privacy protections are destroyed, an unprecedented surveillance weapon is taking shape. Read the latest from POGO's Don Bell:
This is yet another unconstitutional use of our armed forces. We've said it before, and we'll keep saying it: Congress needs to stand up for itself as President Trump continues to commandeer its authority with dangerous consequences.
Once again, we see the administration threatening to weaponize the power of the federal government against political opponents. Authoritarianism should have no place in this country.
Our federal government should serve ALL people living here, not just citizens. The demand by Trump for a census that counts only citizens is not only preposterous, it's also unconstitutional — the U.S. Constitution spells out that the census should count everyone. www.npr.org/2025/08/07/n...
We need accountability at DHS, and we need it now. The findings in this investigation are harrowing. There’s been a longtime lack of accountability for wrongdoing at DHS, and it’s clearly spinning further out of control with this massive increase in detentions.
A new leaked memo suggest that DHS is looking for more opportunities to use the military on U.S. soil. This is a threat to every single person in our country. It’s an egregious abuse of executive power, and it cannot become the new normal.
For years, we've been raising the alarm over the clear conflict of interest that is congressional stock trading We're glad to see new legislation to #StopTheTrades advancing to a full Senate vote. We need to keep up the pressure and ensure that it passes.
For years, we've been raising the alarm over the clear conflict of interest that is congressional stock trading We're glad to see new legislation to #StopTheTrades advancing to a full Senate vote. We need to keep up the pressure and ensure that it passes.
Want to know more about what can be done? Check out our fact sheet:
The DATA Act was a huge step forward in federal spending transparency. But there's more work to be done. Congress needs to enact reforms so that YOU can know where your $$ are going.
The public deserves gov't watchdogs who act quickly to investigate abuse of power allegations. It's a key way we hold those in public office to account. If the DOJ watchdog did indeed ignore this complaint for two months, that is a troubling and unusual delay. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/31/u...
Protecting whistleblowers is essential to the strength of our democracy. That's why we're so glad to see vital legislation to expand whistleblower protections for federal contractor move forward.
We're not surprised by the findings of this report. Bulldozing laws, rules and processes isn't the way to save taxpayer dollars-- in fact, it's a great way to spend more of them. We hope inspectors general follow this report's recommendations and investigate further.
Members of Congress have the duty and right to conduct oversight. We’re glad to see these members stand up for that right.
We’re glad to see this bipartisan bill pass out of committee today. It’s long past time to ban Congressional stock trading, and we hope the Senate does the right thing and passes it.
Secretary Hegseth’s attacks on the vital, independent work of Inspectors General are completely unacceptable. On top of that, the investigation he’s calling a “political witch hunt” comes from a BIPARTISAN request.
P.S. If you’re a gov’t employee wondering just where to start when it comes to exposing waste, fraud, and abuse, check out our resources:
We need a government that protects AND listens to all whistleblowers. Many government workers are contractors, and they should have the same protections as other whistleblowers. That’s why we’re proud to support the Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act, & hope to see it pass soon!
Whistleblowers are essential to our democracy—and they often take great risks to tell the truth. Without them, we might never know about waste, fraud, and abuse in our government. On #NationalWhistleblowerDay, we honor these brave truth-tellers. But honoring them alone isn’t enough. (cont. ⬇️)
⚡️ Now on the Whistleblower Summit's "Know Your Rights" Panel: our Legal Director Tom Devine, Rebecca Jones of House Office of Whistleblower Ombuds, and Joe Spielberger of @pogo.org.
The independence of our courts is vital to a functioning democracy. This attack on them is incredibly dangerous.
The president should not be able to skirt the confirmation process like this. We must reform the Vacancies Act to better ensure we have vetted, confirmed nominees in key executive branch roles. www.cbsnews.com/news/u-s-att...
Did you know proposed cuts at #HHS would directly impact those who prevent waste in the Medicare & Medicaid programs? @marenmachles.bsky.social investigated these staff reductions and their potential impacts, and you're going to want to hear about it:
These stories are harrowing. The United States government sent people to #CECOT to be tortured for months on end, and fought to keep them there.
Glad to see his nomination pulled from today's hearing. As the opposition continues to grow, let's hope that OSC will get a much more respectable nominee, one that civil servants deserve.
Paul Ingrassia is thoroughly unfit to lead the Office of Special Counsel. We're glad to hear his nomination was pulled from today's @hsgac.senate.gov hearing. Hopefully this is the first step towards fully rejecting his nomination.
Tomorrow, @hsgac.senate.gov will hear the nomination of Paul Ingrassia to lead the Office of Special Counsel. Why is this little-discussed nominee such a dangerous choice for an agency many people haven't even heard of?
Fascinating article (with great visuals) about Trump admin officials' stock sales before tariff news, feat. insights from @veritasdhg.bsky.social: “It is concerning and begs the question of whether these public officials knew something that informed their trading."
This is what we warned about in our piece on the vast "border zone" last year. Since TWO THIRDS of people in the US (yes, you read that right) live within this zone, the power of the Border Patrol has spun out of control. Read a breakdown of @krhawkins.bsky.social's report:
Should someone who called government workers "parasites" be leading an office that's meant to protect whistleblowers? We don't think so. We think it makes Paul Ingrassia an unfit, unserious nominee. We led 20+ organizations calling on the Senate to reject his nomination:
It sets an alarming dangerous precedent for ICE to get access to the data of 79 million people— people who simply thought they were signing up for Medicaid. The scale of this is mind-boggling, and shows how quickly mass surveillance can spin out of control.
Time and time again the administration has shown that it will blow through any protections to conduct mass surveillance on migrants. Data privacy protections are there for a reason: the gov’t isn’t supposed to be able to use our info for unintended purposes. Yet, here we are.
Senators have an obligation to take whistleblower claims seriously. It goes without saying that the Judiciary Committee should NOT be voting on Emil Bove's nomination before claims against him are fully investigated. The stakes here are simply too high.
These firings are a blatant abuse of power. The Trump administration is seeking to completely dismantle the nonpartisan civil service and turn it into another political arm of the presidency. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/15/u...
And learn more about #NunnMcCurdy reforms here, in this fact sheet from @otabuni.bsky.social:
Learn more about why we NEED a military #RightToRepair from @virginiajburger.bsky.social:
As the House marks up the #NDAA, two vital amendments have been passed: @repgoodlander.bsky.social's #RightToRepair legislation and VITAL parts of @repgaramendi.bsky.social's #NunnMcCurdy reforms, including faster reporting & tracking of costs.
Preventing undocumented immigrants from requesting bond hearings seems like a blatant attempt to stop them from exercising their right to due process. On top of that, mandatory detention is unconstitutional. We’re strongly opposed to this move from ICE.
Last week a R2R bill was introduced in the Senate. We need that one to pass.
Service member safety and readiness is more important than contractors’ profits, so we need military #RightToRepair. The House version of the #NDAA contains provisions that claim to be #R2R, but are actually putting industry needs first. Unacceptable.
Don't miss this free training on how the NDAA works and how you can make your voice heard, happening on Wednesday 7/16! It will feature remarks by POGO's own Eryn Scheyder. Sign up now ⬇️
Our service members should not be stuck waiting on contractors when crucial military equipment breaks down in the field. Read this great personal account on why we need military right-to-repair now: www.militarytimes.com/opinion/2025...
Some GOOD NEWS on this Friday: The Senate Armed Services Committee included a provision in the defense policy bill that would give service members the right to repair their own equipment. This will improve safety and military readiness + save tax dollars www.armed-services.senate.gov/imo/media/do...
BIG UPDATE: the Senate rejected this proposal and is avoiding cuts to the GAO, as well as the Library of Congress! This is a great bipartisan step towards strengthening this essential government watchdog.
It’s time to stop wasting tax $$$ & start reining in weapons spending. Nunn-McCurdy reform will do just that. We're proud to support this vital legislation.
Right now, the Senate is marking up a bill that includes a 49% funding cut to the GAO, an essential oversight agency. The legislative branch needs to protect its watchdog, not greenlight these dangerous cuts. We'll be watching today's hearing:
Yet again, the admin is diverting funds Congress already approved. We can't say it enough: when the legislative branch decides how money is spent, the executive doesn't get to simply cut those funds on a whim. Congress must take back its spending power.