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20 ¦ DECEMBER 28, 2020 NEWS

¦ From DOJ STAFF on PAGE 19 to four separate documents from the White House,
been haphazard, likely because the Diversity Direc- OMB and OPM on ending the training.
tives are vague and confusing,” referring to Trump’s “If the executive branch officials desire, in good
executive order. The letter also details the cancella- faith, to overhaul diversity and inclusion train-
tion of DOJ groups’ events due to the order. ings, they should plan in advance, draft clear
“The Diversity Directives signal to all that mi- guidance, engage with subject-matter experts,
norities are not welcome, their positions are not and create the necessary procedures. That has not
secure and that discussing systemic injustice is happened here,” the letter reads.
inappropriate in the workplace or otherwise. This The internal guidance has forced several DOJ
is especially obvious, because they were issued affinity groups to cancel events
amidst civil unrest and racial over the past few months: The
reckonings underway through- DOJ Gender Equality Network in
out the nation in the wake of October canceled an event with
continued and unjustified kill- former U.S. Attorney for D.C.
ings of Black Americans by law Jessie Liu and acting ATF Direc-
enforcement officers,” the let- The DOJ employees allege tor Regina Lombardo on gender
ter reads. “The directives were “recent acts constituting and leadership. The DOJ Associa-
implemented to silence con- tion of Black Attorneys scrapped
versations surrounding issues violations of law, abuse a town hall on “increasing di-
of race, nationality, and gender of authority, gross versity at the department,” and
during a time when such conver- the DOJ Association of Hispanic
sations have been most needed. mismanagement and Employees for Advancement and
The directives are harming and gross waste of funds by Development also called off a
will continue to harm underrep- executive branch political town hall for members.
resented employees.” leadership in ending long-
standing federal diversity A coalition of affinity groups

The Justice Department staff- and inclusion programs.” met with JMD leadership in late
ers also allege the diversity and October and sent a follow-up
inclusion orders “plainly vio- letter urging them to narrow the
late the First and Fourteenth interpretation of Trump’s order.
Amendments, among other laws, DOJ officials do not appear to
rules and regulations” and are have taken any direct action in
“an unimplementable disaster response to the groups’ calls.
for the over 400 federal agencies, sub-agencies, At least two federal lawsuits have also been filed
and departments that need to implement and en- challenging Trump’s executive order.
force them.” ¦

The letter further asserts the directives “amount to Jacqueline Thomsen, based in Washington, is a re-
gross mismanagement through their explicit rescis- porter covering D.C. federal courts and the legal
sion of decades of deliberate and iterative planning, side of politics. Contact her at jathomsen@alm.
review, and implementation.” The DOJ staff point com and follow her on Twitter @jacq_thomsen.

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