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ICYMI: “Meet the Federal Workers Pleading with Andy Harris to Fight for Them” [Baltimore Banner]

Government and Politics

February 25, 2025


“I wish that he would have some courage to actually represent the concerns of his constituents”

Extremist GOP Rep. Andy Harris, chair of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, continues to ignore the needs of Marylanders by refusing to speak up for the 23,000 federal workers in his district amid “widespread and rapid firings,” according to the Baltimore Banner

Marylanders who have reached out to Harris’ office directly have received responses that “seemed to talk past their dire reality” and “lacked any concern about their families and their livelihoods,” the Banner writes.

The Banner’s report comes on the heels of a large protest outside of Harris’ Bel Air office against the Trump administration and Harris’ inaction. 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT.

Baltimore Banner: Meet the Federal Workers Pleading with Andy Harris to Fight for Them

By Brenda Wintrode

February 24, 2025

  • Career civil servants living in Harris’ district have found that asking their elected official to speak up for them has been as effective as screaming underwater.
  • The new dad is one of the roughly 23,000 federal employees living in Harris’ deep red district… And he’s anxiously watching for when a career-ending email will land in his inbox. A Black man, he has been further “demoralized” by the Trump administration’s revocation of diversity, equity and inclusion language and programs, he said.
  • The Baltimore Banner spoke with more than a half dozen federal and nonfederal employees, both Democrats and unaffiliated voters, in Harris’ district… All said they’d emailed or called Harris since Trump’s inauguration to tell him they were worried about their jobs, opposed Trump’s in-person work requirement or challenged some other recent federal action.
  • In return, Harris’ office sent them form responses… what struck them was the disconnected messaging that seemed to talk past their dire reality. His messages lacked any concern about their families and their livelihoods.
  • Working for the government, she said, “makes me feel like I’m doing something for my country,” but Harris’ stock email “made it just seem like I was whining.” 
  • “I wish that he would have some courage to actually represent the concerns of his constituents,” she said.
  • The messages have been “insulting,” said the woman, a primary caregiver for the couple’s young child.