Dozens gathered outside the federal building in Downtown Cleveland on Thursday to protest President Donald Trump’s mass firings of federal workers across government agencies over the last week.
In a speech to protesters, U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown (OH-11) took aim at Trump’s senior advisor and billionaire Elon Musk.
"No one is objecting to finding waste, fraud or abuse. Does it exist? It probably does. But do we go at it with a sledgehammer? No," Brown told reporters after addressing the crowd. "It's not what's being done. It's how it's being done. It's being led by someone who is unvetted."
Last week, Brown introduced legislation to codify anti-discrimination protections, including the Equal Employment Opportunity order, revoked by Trump when he assumed office.
The Trump administration's sweeping cuts across the federal government have affected thousands of employees from agencies like the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Homeland Security. The administration has said Trump aims to cut 10% of the federal workforce.
Nurse and union member Marissa Hickman who attended the protest in Cleveland said she’s concerned about services being cut.
“I’m fighting for our rights as public servants to continue to serve the veterans in our community to make sure they’re receiving adequate care and to make sure we’re upholding our oath of office," she said.
The rally was organized by the North Shore Federation of Labor.
