Today was a rough day

Today was a rough day. 

Today was a very rough day but at least I’m ending it on a positive note. I’ve written three recommendations for coworkers on LinkedIn. 

Sadness and grieving is normal. Anger is normal. It is ok to sit with these feelings. 

The overlords told the few employees left at USAID to do something illegal. We are given a training at least once a year on how to handle records. “A senior official at the main U.S. aid agency, which is being dismantled by the Trump administration, told employees to clear safes holding classified documents and personnel files by shredding the papers or putting them into bags for burning, according to an email sent to the staff.” This violates the Federal Records Act and ADS 502. You can’t just willy nilly destroy these things. We have extreme bureaucracy to protect everyone’s right to know everything, forever. The extreme bureaucracy is something I hate about working at USAID but it is also why all of us know that claims of fraud or corruption are bull. “Union representatives demanded that the aid agency follow the law stated in the Federal Records Act. Defense lawyers argued that officials had not destroyed personnel records and would not destroy any more documents without notification.” USAID employees who did as they were told may get in legal trouble. 

There was a judicial decision that the overlords cannot impound money, aka unilaterally block the use of money that Congress has authorized. The judge ruled that USAID and the Department of State must resume the stopped contracts and that all of this has probably been illegal. It may have positive implications for our getting our jobs back but that is not clear. 

Ukraine hit Moscow with its biggest ever drone attack. 

Ukraine agreed to a 30 day ceasefire and the US agreed to resume intelligence assistance. The ball is now in Russia’s court.