AUSTIN, Texas -- A whistleblower protection group is urging Congress to exercise its oversight responsibility to stop the termination of a central figure in President Donald Trump's impeachment.
On Friday, the president fired Michael Atkinson, the inspector general for the intelligence community. It was Atkinson who forwarded to Congress a whistleblower's complaint that initiated impeachment proceedings.
John Kostyack, executive director of the National Whistleblower Center, said retaliation against whistleblowers by the administration creates a hostile environment and damages the country's system of checks and balances.
"It's a very chilling message not just for those people but for all of us who believe in the rule of law and believe that oversight of the executive branch is pretty fundamental to make our democracy work," Kostyack said.
The whistleblower advocacy group has mounted a campaign encouraging Congress to reverse the inspector general's firing. Kostyack said he believes Atkinson was following the rule of law when he forwarded the complaint revealing Trump had asked the Ukrainian president to investigate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter.
Several top Democrats have criticized the firing of Atkinson, and Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley argued that Congress has been "crystal clear that written reasons must be given when an inspector general is removed for a lack of confidence."
Kostyack said it is in the institutional interests of Congress to say "no" when the president undercuts a system designed to help them perform their oversight function.
"They have the power of the purse. They have the power to block nominations. All of those steps are what Congress typically does when there's a test of wills between the executive and the legislative branch," he said. "And if there ever was a time for them to pull out those tools, this is it."
Trump was criticized last year for retweeting a post that revealed a name supposedly belonging to the whistleblower involved in the Ukraine investigation. The 1998 Whistleblower Protection Act was written to protect whistleblowers but does not prevent the president or members of Congress from identifying them.
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As today begins National Farmworker Awareness Week, North Carolina boasts the sixth-largest number of farmworkers of any state.
More than 150,000 people in the Tar Heel State are farmworkers or dependents of them.
Quirina Vallejos, executive director of the North Carolina Farmworkers Project, said the issues facing farmworkers include exposure to pesticides, inadequate housing and wage theft. But Vallejos pointed out the most pressing problem remains helping farmworkers know and defend their rights.
"Even if the workers know what their rights are, it's very challenging for them to speak up for themselves, defend their own rights," Vallejos explained. "Because if they're undocumented, they're afraid of being reported to ICE, and I've heard of employers threatening that very thing in order to get people to do what they want."
Farmworkers in North Carolina help harvest numerous crops, including tobacco, cucumbers, apples and bell peppers. In 2022, the U.S. Department of Labor's National Agricultural Worker Survey found more than 40% of agricultural workers were not authorized to work in the U.S.
Vallejos argued strong enforcement of existing regulations would best help farmworkers. One sort of policy lawmakers in many states could initiate, Vallejos suggested, would be the passage of laws to protect them from extreme heat.
"Workers are out there sunrise to sunset. That's a long time to be out in the fields and not get any breaks, not have time in the shade," Vallejos contended. "Employers should be required to be educated on emergency response to heat stress and heat-induced illnesses because that would save lives."
Carolina consumers who wish to support farmworkers, Vallejos added, could try to purchase produce from companies with strong labor standards.
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Nationwide, it is estimated about one-third of Americans either adhere to Christian Nationalist ideals or sympathize with them.
Groups working for social justice in Washington state are organizing to counter what they see as a movement harmful to democracy.
Aaron Scott, author of "Bring Back Your People: Ten Ways Regular Folks Can Put a Dent in White Christian Nationalism," is the keynote speaker at this weekend's Peace and Justice Action Conference in Spokane.
It is estimated 16% of people in Washington support Christian Nationalist ideas and although it is hardly a majority, Scott said the movement should not be disregarded.
"We can't afford to say, 'Well, we're not going to really deal with that stuff, that's a side conversation,'" Scott explained. "Because clearly we are now in a moment where it is not a side conversation. It is the central conversation."
Scott noted white Christian Nationalist groups embed in rural areas, building churches and securing funds to win local elections. Their beliefs often appear as anti-immigrant and anti-LGBTQ. He pointed out the ideology thrives where voter suppression and disengagement are high and encouraged people to stay engaged in their communities.
Christian Nationalists want the U.S. to be declared a Christian nation, with laws based on their far-right values. Though the ideas can seem threatening, Scott stressed arguing with strangers is usually not an effective way to change someone's mind. Instead, he suggested having direct, thoughtful conversations within trusting relationships, reinforcing their values of honesty and compassion.
"You can do things like point to the way this person lives their lives and the values that you know they hold, and highlight, like, 'This does not seem aligned with this,'" Scott advised.
Scott, who also works with the Episcopal Church, emphasized the core of Christianity runs counter to the ideas of Christian Nationalism. He added many Christian groups recognize the movement provides cover for white supremacy and are concerned about the threat it may pose to their religious communities as well as democracy. Scott acknowledged it takes time and commitment to counter extreme ideologies.
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In a nationwide movement, Latinos are being urged to boycott retail stores tomorrow that have curtailed programs promoting fair hiring practices.
The diversity, equity and inclusion framework has been a cornerstone for many large retailers for several decades but attacks by President Donald Trump and the GOP have led such giants as Walmart, Target, McDonald's and others to scale back their DEI initiatives.
Caroline Tso Chen, associate professor of taxation at San Jose State University, said one person might not be able to make a huge difference but if 20% of people joined "Latino Freeze Day," the effect would be substantial.
"By basically telling those companies, we do not approve of what you are doing and we will take our money and we will spend it elsewhere," Tso Chen explained.
The annual purchasing power of Latinos in the U.S. continues to grow, now topping more than $3 trillion. New Mexico is among the top 10 states with the largest Hispanic/Latino buying power, which has increased due to population growth, labor force participation and educational attainment.
DEI programs have been around since the 1960s and are meant to promote the fair treatment and full participation of all people, particularly groups historically underrepresented or subject to discrimination. As an Asian woman, Tso Chen noted she knows what it is like, but added Friday's boycott would need to be just the beginning.
"You can't make this just February 28," Tso Chen stressed. "In order to make any sort-of significant economic impact to any of these retailers, it is going to have to be for an extended period of time."
The Latino Freeze Movement is encouraging supporters to find alternative ways to purchase what they need at other retailers, including local stores, swap meets, farmers markets, secondhand stores or negotiating trades.
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