Tim TruxellJan 28, 2025
Molly White

The people who are now in charge of the Office of Personnel Management apparently don’t know how to scrub PDF metadata, and have exposed the original authors of the guidance they’re publishing. Two have links to the Heritage Foundation and its Project 2025.

Noah Peters is the author of the OPM Acting Director Charles Ezell’s January 27 memo (archive) providing guidance on the “Restoring Accountability To Policy-Influencing Positions Within the Federal Workforce” executive order, which is being described as the “Schedule F” order because it effectively reinstates that policy under a new name (“Schedule Policy/Career”). Peters also authored the January 20 memo (archive) from Ezell, which exploits loopholes to bypass limits on political appointments. Both of these memos are clear steps towards achieving a primary goal of Project 2025: to expand President Trump’s power, and to replace career civil servants with Trump loyalists.

As far back as 2023, The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 was recommending Peters for a position in Trump’s second administration. Peters had previously been appointed by Trump in 2019 as the Solicitor at the Federal Labor Relations Authority, where he “aided and defended Trump appointees’ anti-union FLRA policies that went against decades of the agency’s own precedents” according to Court Accountability Action and State Democracy Defenders Action.4 Peters returned to private practice in 2022, but recently quietly updated his LinkedIn profile to reflect a new title of “Senior Advisor” to the Office of Personnel Management. This appointment does not appear to have been announced anywhere else.

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#USpolitics #USpol #Project2025 #HeritageFoundation

Jan 27, 2025 at 11:04pmWeb
Show threadMolly WhiteJan 27, 2025

James Sherk authored the joint Office of Management and Budget and OPM memo (archive) on return to office implementation plans. The guidance in the memo echoes a November 20, 2024 op-ed in the Wall Street Journal by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy outlining their “Doge Plan”, where they wrote: “Requiring federal employees to come to the office five days a week would result in a wave of voluntary terminations that we welcome”.4 The memo has earned criticism from the American Federation of Government Employees, the largest federal employee union, which expressed that the directive would “undermine” the government’s effectiveness by limiting their ability to attract talented employeees and maintain continuity of operations in emergencies. Sherk also authored the joint OMB and OPM memo (archive) providing guidance on the federal civilian hiring freeze — another effort towards the goal of slashing the size of the federal workforce.

James Sherk was announced as Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy on January 18. A White House official during Trump’s first term, Sherk was a key figure in Trump’s endeavors to purge civil servants and replace them with loyalists through an effort known as “Schedule F”. After Biden was elected, he repealed Schedule F, and Sherk slunk off to the America First Policy Institute to continue efforts to advance Trump’s policies. Prior to these positions, he was a staff member at the Heritage Foundation.

While Project 2025 and similar initiatives have been public about their plans to reshape the federal workforce, Trump and other figures in his administration have denied or downplayed links with the initiative. These documents show that implementation is already well underway, with designated personnel quietly drafting policies that were intended only to be publicly attributed to those in charge of the federal agencies.

https://www.citationneeded.news/trumps-project-2025-ghostwriters/

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#USpolitics #USpol #Project2025 #HeritageFoundation

Trump’s Project 2025 ghostwriters

Exposed PDF metadata from the Office of Personnel Management reveals that Heritage Foundation-linked Trump devotees are writing policies at federal agencies.

Citation Needed
Show threadWeyoun 6Jan 27, 2025
@molly0xfff I'd believe they don't have the skills. I also believe that they don't care. They won and they can do as they please. There's no need to pretend or hide anything anymore.
Show threadNosirrahSec 🏴‍☠️ guillotine enthusiastJan 27, 2025

@weyoun6 @molly0xfff this.

They've been immune to "look at what they're doing!" since 2016, or even before that.

No one does anything about it.

Show threadThomas D. Embree 🇨🇦Jan 28, 2025

@weyoun6 @molly0xfff There are tons of reason they should hide. This will probably be ending in four years. They are just too stupid to have the foresight to cover their asses for that eventuality.

It didn't last the first time, it won't last this time. Capitalize on their sense of security right now. Their guard is down, and we can exploit that.

Show threadHavyhh2Jan 28, 2025
@weyoun6 @thomasembree @molly0xfff ...some might entertain the notion that retribution, especially aimed at fascist collaborators, such as, well, the dipshits identified in Molly's posts, can go both ways. History is strewn with crumpled masses of defeated authoritarians & their collaborators, supporters and sympathizers who had, not long prior, been giddily inflicting harm, chaos and death upon their charges. Retribution does not have a political preference.
Show threadThomas D. Embree 🇨🇦Jan 28, 2025

@havvyhh2 @weyoun6 @molly0xfff I'm gay, mentally ill, street involved, and a recovering substance user. I have literally been to the very bottom, and I was there for years and years. I've see what their retribution can do. I know that I can survive it. So bring it on.

If I can use that ability to survive to prevent even a little bit of the suffering I've seen and experienced, using my own retribution, that would be a fulfilling life.

Show threadCedar Fen Farm Cedar Fen FarmJan 29, 2025

@thomasembree @weyoun6 @molly0xfff

2 yrs if they withhold the money from all the programs magas believe they are entitled to.

Show threadITsec AgenturJan 28, 2025
@weyoun6 @molly0xfff I am currently listening to the Andresen Rant on the Fridman podcast and indeed, there does not seem much of an idea apart from some weir eletist thinking just because I am a rich, white dude who is afraid of wokeness.
Show threadRobby O'ConnorJan 27, 2025
@molly0xfff Generally when you hire people based on loyalty and not actual merits, you get shit people who don't understand anything.
Show threadPerspectiveFeb 4, 2025
@robbyoconnor @molly0xfff
😉
Show threadCelloMom On CarsJan 27, 2025

@molly0xfff

Cheapest way:
“Requiring federal employees to come to the office five days a week would result in a wave of voluntary terminations that we welcome”

If that doesn't work, you can always relocate the office to somewhere far away from DC (as they've tried to do before).

Show thread10tothe22Jan 28, 2025
@molly0xfff
Show threadTim TruxellJan 28, 2025
@molly0xfff wow. Just wow. Its like they don’t even care
Show threadMolly WhiteJan 27, 2025
Update: The OPM has now scrubbed the PDF metadata. However, the archived copies linked from my website contain the original metadata if you wish to verify.
Show threadMolly WhiteJan 28, 2025

From r/fednews:
(unverified, obviously)

#USpolitics #USpol

Show threadtacnextgenJan 28, 2025
@molly0xfff Unverified, but completely believable.
Show threadBen RamseyJan 28, 2025

@molly0xfff I think this is what this executive order is for: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/restoring-accountability-to-policy-influencing-positions-within-the-federal-workforce/

It’s also one of the main points that Project 2025 wanted to enact, giving the President wide-reaching control over federal employees.

Restoring Accountability To Policy-Influencing Positions Within the Federal Workforce – The White House

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 3301, 3302, and 7511 of

The White House
Show threadBen RamseyJan 28, 2025
@molly0xfff I just now saw your original post mentioning Project 2025. Sorry for the repetition, but yeah, this is all clearly straight from their playbook.
Show threadHal PomeranzJan 28, 2025
@molly0xfff An on-prem Exchange server perhaps? That’s a security incident waiting to happen.
Show threadviqJan 28, 2025
@hal_pomeranz @molly0xfff it sounds a bit like "someone, we don't really know who, brought in a server we don't control", which sounds like a security incident in progress.
Show threadthe vessel of morgannaJan 28, 2025
@hal_pomeranz @molly0xfff That's just par for the course for US government networks. Some departments do have hybrid deployments that terminate on Azure, but on-prem exchange is still extremely common.
Show threadTaylorOnoJan 28, 2025
@molly0xfff perhaps it is a good time to make sure this is being circulated https://www.cia.gov/static/5c875f3ec660e092cf893f60b4a288df/SimpleSabotage.pdf
Show threadShadSterlingJan 28, 2025

@molly0xfff for any other readers who don’t know, an “RIF notice” is a “Reduction In Force notice”, basically a layoff (tho there are some differences)

https://fedemploymentattorneys.com/legal-blog/what-is-reduction-in-force-for-federal-government-employees/

What Is a Reduction in Force for Federal Government Employees? - Federal Employment Law Firm of Aaron D Wersing PLLC

Understand what a reduction in force entails for federal government employees. Contact The Federal Employment Law Firm of Aaron D Wersing PLLC today!

Federal Employment Law Firm of Aaron D Wersing PLLC
Show threadMr. Framework Jan 28, 2025
@ShadSterling @molly0xfff they are basically dismantling the US
Show threadSecret SquirrelJan 28, 2025
@molly0xfff I just don't understand what the point is. If they can email every fed, why the "reply with yes" crap? They already know the email address. I don't doubt some stupid and/or evil plan, but I think I'm missing something.
Show threadSaftyKumaJan 28, 2025

@Secret_Squirrel @molly0xfff

My wild guess is that they just want to validate the email addresses are valid and just to test the servers.

I think the idea of storing data on private servers owned by Musk & friends is to shield them from FOIA requests or congressional / legal oversight down the road.

Show threadJonathan Kamens 86 47Jan 28, 2025
@Secret_Squirrel @molly0xfff They may want to confirm that the server can handle the load of all those replies.
They may want proof that you are receiving the messages so you can't claim later that you aren't.
Show threadRyan MJan 28, 2025
@Secret_Squirrel @molly0xfff my super cynical thought is they’re, in part, collecting replies to find all the employees with pronouns & DEIA keywords in their signatures. I hope most, if they reply yes, are deleting the rest.
Show threadBlackoverflowJan 29, 2025

@Secret_Squirrel
Maybe it's also the "Foot-in-the-door technique".

Make them comply on something harmless, so they are more likely to comply in the future.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot-in-the-door_technique

Foot-in-the-door technique - Wikipedia

Show thread8Jan 28, 2025
@molly0xfff perhaps the email server is an endpoint for this: https://old.reddit.com/r/lgbt/comments/1i7qa0l/internal_letter_sent_out_at_nasa_today/?ref=share&ref_source=link
Show threadPhosphenesJan 28, 2025

@molly0xfff

God I hope this shit implodes ASAP.

We're going to lose a lot either way.

Show threadthe vessel of morgannaJan 28, 2025
@molly0xfff "walking onto the premises to setup a server" is a little bit of a weird way of putting it, they wouldn't really need to do that. If some gear was installed in their offices outside of the scope of their IT folks, far more nefarious purposes are likely rather than just an email server...
Show threadFahri Reza 🍉Jan 28, 2025
@molly0xfff AIPAC though
Show threadkaty ✨Jan 27, 2025
@molly0xfff Apparently they also don't know that the internet is forever.
Show threadWtfPdfJan 28, 2025

@molly0xfff Oh, please let there be incremental updates! Oh please, oh please...

#redactionFail

Show threadWtfPdfJan 28, 2025
@molly0xfff nah, nothing of interest there...oh, well...
Show threadDavid DamoreJan 27, 2025
@molly0xfff Maybe those folks know exactly what they are doing? ;) ;)
Show threadPreston Maness ☭Jan 27, 2025
@admore @molly0xfff If they've dedicated their careers to right-wing causes, probably not.
Show threadCedar Fen Farm Cedar Fen FarmJan 29, 2025

@admore @molly0xfff

doubt it, I've worked for the type, they think they can just wave their little finger and demand someone else fix it

Show threadGadgetGavJan 28, 2025

@molly0xfff Shocked, shocked I tell you

🙄

Show threadDavid Penfold Jan 28, 2025
@molly0xfff Or maybe the just "accidentally" forgot.
Show thread소주한잔Jan 28, 2025

@molly0xfff

Another prism to view it through is the realization on behalf of the far-right that if they try to mask loyalty criteria in racial decrees like #hitler did after the enabling act, then that would arouse strong opposition. It's much better for them to focus on political enemies rather than racial groups as that will engender less opposition.

With that in mind, I think the current gameplan is just Hitler 2.0, alt-hitler, or hitler-lite

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_for_the_Restoration_of_the_Professional_Civil_Service

Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service - Wikipedia

Show threadZipJan 28, 2025

@molly0xfff
The primary source for the allegation that Noah Peters is directly part of "Project 2025", instead of being in the lengthy list of personnel recommendations put together by them:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/01/us/politics/trump-2025-potential-lawyers.html

Some of the Lawyers Who May Fill a Second Trump Administration

Donald Trump’s allies are hoping to install a different species of legal gatekeeper throughout the federal government. Here are some of the potential prospects.

The New York Times
Show threadAlyssa VoroninJan 28, 2025

@molly0xfff

Clippy: "It looks like you're retyping large portions of Project 2025. Would you like to use the copy & paste feature?"

Show threadCodieneCJan 28, 2025
@molly0xfff This does concern Canada as well because of Harper & the CPC's involvement with the Heritage Foundation.
If they succeed in the US then it's for sure that Canada is on the 'next' list. #cdnpoli
Show thread•iamwe•Jan 28, 2025
@molly0xfff Amazing how many are actually still using Microsoft Word.
Show threadRejZoRJan 28, 2025
@molly0xfff I think they just plain don't care at this point...
Show threadDerek MartinJan 28, 2025
@molly0xfff great work here. These clowns are so disgusting, disinfecting light of their garbage will hopefully help.
Show threadCasper 👻Jan 28, 2025
@molly0xfff Smart they aren’t.
Show threadPhoenixJan 28, 2025

@molly0xfff LOL....

And now they expose themselves with their on weapons.

Is it wrong that I find this amusing and poetic justice at the same time?

Show threadSouprMattJan 29, 2025
@molly0xfff I’m so thankful that you never stop exposing crooks!