Federal Managers Association

Press Release

• FMA DECRIES MAINE GOVERNOR'S ATTACKS AGAINST IRS EMPLOYEES - July 10, 2012

• Federal Managers Association Expresses Dismay at Governor LePage's Demeaning Comments About IRS Employees

  Alexandria, VA - The Federal Managers Association (FMA) National President, Patricia Niehaus, released the following statement in response to the comments recently made by Maine Governor Paul LePage's incendiary comments about the employees of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS):

  "On behalf of the over 200,000 managers and supervisors in the federal government whose interests are represented by the Federal Managers Association, I am writing to express my great disappointment with Maine Governor Paul LePage's choice of words on Saturday, July 7, referring to the employees of the Internal Revenue Service as the 'new Gestapo.' While FMA appreciates Governor LePage's apology to the Jewish Community for his reference to Nazi Germany's policies, FMA would like to remind Gov. LePage of the hard work employees of the Department of Treasury's IRS do on a daily basis as part of their congressionally-mandated duties. These men and women collect our nation's revenues; safeguard our country against fraud; and, provide deserving citizens with tax refunds. To assault them for doing the job they were hired to do is simply beyond the scope of acceptability."

  Gov. LePage's comments were in reaction to the Supreme Court's ruling on the Affordable Care Act, and whether or not one agrees with a specific policy or law, it is crucial that the discontent be directed at Congress and government leaders, rather than the employees who are doing the work they were hired to do. Federal employees do not deserve to be abused in the name of politics, and certainly not by a sitting governor.

  
  

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