Social Security chief resigns amid claims she tried to block investigations into her office

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: UK Independent

6 hours ago


Social Security Inspector General Gail Ennis resigned from her post following allegations that she tried to bar a major investigation into the agency. Ms Ennis, a Trump appointee, had been in her post since 2019. She announced her resignation in an email to her 500-person staff on Friday, The Washington Post reported. The Social Security Administration is one of the largest agencies in the nation.

Approximately 69 million Americans receive monthly retirement benefits through the office and another 15 million receive disability checks. Michelle Anderson, the assistant inspector for audits, will take her place until President Joe Biden’s administration can select a replacement.

Congressional members on both sides of the aisle called for Ms Ennis to be replaced following reports of low productivity and morale at the agency. There had also been complaints of retaliation against whistleblowers and criticism for the way she handled an anti-fraud program.

When Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz launched an investigation into the office through the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, Ms Ennis allegedly attempted to obstruct it, he announced in March.

Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/social-security-chief-resigns-b2555046.html

---

This is NOT the SS Commissioner (currently Martin O'Malley) but the IG, who was a 45 holdover.

[MOMFUDSKI]

1. The best people.

So much winning.

[meow2u3]

2. Another burrowed-in Trump holdover resigns

I wonder why Ennis hasn't been removed from her position sooner. I think she was improperly burrowed in to sabotage Social Security, but my suspicions may or may not be warranted.

[InstantGratification]

12. She was the SS administrations inspector general

I doubt she would have had the kind of authority to sabotage SS directly, but she was in a very powerful position to interfere with investigations of those who would perform that sabotage..... and apparently was caught doing exactly that.

[Farmer-Rick]

20. Good explanation

Thanks

[Mysterian]

3. Martin O'Malley is cleaning house of all the incompetent, corrupt Trump trash

Good job!

[wolfie001]

8. He is a former Mayor of Baltimore and Governor of Maryland

Well liked in this state. He knows the signs to look out for.

[Voltaire2]

4. Trump intends to reclassify and then fire vast numbers of protected civil servants

in order to fill the real deep state with their thugs and cronies. It is the 'deep state' because it is a persistent layer of professional government workers who know how to make the system function.

[BumRushDaShow]

6. "Trump intends to reclassify and then fire vast numbers of protected civil servants"

Biden not only rescinded 45's draconian last minute "Schedule F" E.O. nonsense, but OPM just finalized (in April) regulations that would forbid use of that -

OPM issues its final rule for Schedule F protections

The federal HR agency finalized its rule offering protections for career civil servants meant to safeguard against the potential reemergence of the Trump-era Schedule F policy.

April 4, 2024
Updated at 11:04 a.m. on April 4

Carten Cordell
Managing Editor,
Government Executive



The Office of Personnel Management issued the final version of its regulation meant to safeguard the civil service from the return of a Trump-era policy that sought to convert most federal employees to at-will workers. The new regulation — which will be published in the Federal Register for public inspection on Thursday — seeks to provide 2.2 million federal employees with defined protections that would make it difficult for a future administration to re-apply the Trump policy, known as Schedule F.

“We are confident that our final rule is the best reading of civil service statutes and is grounded in the civil service in the statutory language, congressional intent, legislative history and decades of applicable case law and practice,” said OPM Deputy Director Rob Shriver on a press call. “The rule is strong, it will help to ensure the rights employees earned as envisioned by Congress when it enacted the Civil Service Reform Act in 1978 and expanded and strengthened those protections through subsequent enactments.”

(snip)

"Today, my administration is announcing protections for 2.2 million career civil servants from political interference, to guarantee that they can carry out their responsibilities in the best interest of the American people," said Biden, in a statement. Day in and day out, career civil servants provide the expertise and continuity necessary for our democracy to function. They provide Americans with life-saving and life-changing services and put opportunity within reach for millions. That’s why since taking office, I have worked to strengthen, empower and rebuild our career workforce. This rule is a step toward combatting corruption and partisan interference to ensure civil servants are able to focus on the most important task at hand: delivering for the American people."

The final rule states that an employee’s civil service protections cannot be taken away by an involuntary move from the competitive service to the excepted service; clarifies that the “employees in confidential, policy-determining, policy-making or policy-advocating positions” terminology used to define Schedule F employees means noncareer, political appointments and won’t be applied to career civil servants; and sets up an appeals process with the Merit Systems Protection Board for any employees involuntarily transferred from the competitive service to the excepted service and within the excepted service.

(snip)

https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2024/04/opm-issues-final-rule-schedule-f-protections/395463/

It was effective May 9, 2024 and since it was codified this way (vs only through an E.O.), it would be harder to revoke because there is a whole process involved with regulation updates/repeals.

[NJCher]

17. background on Ennis

First, Bum Rush, thanks for that info. It is indeed a relief to know this. I thought I recalled that being done but I never read that it actually was implemented. You are truly one of our most proficient researchers, being able to put your hands on just about anything in minutes.

Next up: I looked up the Washington Post articles being referred to and there is one where the comments are so good I just have to post the link. The story provides a good explanation of what Ennis's shortcomings were.

Here's a no-paywall link:

https://wapo.st/3Vpd30Z

The comments could have been written by some of us. It's nice to know we're not the only one noticing this:


It's all about the cruelty. An organismic experience for these Trumpers


I guess she was hurting the people she was supposed to hurt. (Ennis)

[BumRushDaShow]

18. Most welcome!

And thanks for the link on Ennis (I actually have a sub to WaPo). The awful part of this is that her malfeasance continued during Biden's administration and I know there have been multiple articles about the penalties and more recently, the evil claw-backs, the latter being something that just got addressed and corrected recently by O'Malley - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143209198

Your link's also had an earlier in-depth article on the issue of of the harsh penalties - https://wapo.st/4e3oAdE (no paywall). And you're right about those comments! Spot on!

I wouldn't be surprised if other holdovers are burrowed in this and other agencies.

[SupportSanity]

21. It's great to know the schedule F stuff has been handled. Thanks for posting that

[tom_kelly]

19. And, the magas working in the gov't will still vote for him

[Baitball Blogger]

5. A trump appointee.

"nuff said.

[LiberalFighter]

7. I hope the investigation continues

[Traurigkeit]

9. Republican MAIN plank has always been: destroy government

[CousinIT]

10. Trump appointee. Probably put there to destroy the Soc Sec Admin.

Girl, bye. Good riddance.

[Permanut]

11. All righty then..

Now let's have a little look at deJoy.

[PlutosHeart]

13. Is DuhJoy next?

Really hope so.

[not fooled]

14. Too bad seniors who love red don or vote puke

won't understand why her departure is a good thing. Or that pukes just want to destroy Social Security.

[2naSalit]

15. Good riddance.

[LudwigPastorius]

16. Off to the trough of the private sector with you.

I was disappointed when Biden didn't start a "denazification" program when he took office, like the Germans after WWII.

But, it looks like Trump's lackeys are fucking themselves out of their government positions all by themselves.