The Environmental Protection Agency has moved to suspend more than 100 staffers who signed a letter of dissent against the Trump administration’s policies in July, a representative of the union covering the agency’s staff told CNN on Friday.
The EPA previously moved to fire a handful of employees late last week, but now it is taking disciplinary action against more than 130 employees also suspected of signing the letter, the representative said. These employees were sent letters indicating they would be suspended for 14 days without pay.
The reason cited in the letters is for “conduct unbecoming of a federal employee,” the representative said, noting that is highly unusual, if not unprecedented, under the circumstances.
An EPA spokesperson would not confirm the report or details, saying the agency “does not comment on individual personnel matters.”