Congressman Cleaver Condemns Firing of Federal Workers in Kansas City

(Kansas City, MO) – Today, after expressing strong opposition to the Trump Administration about federal layoffs in Kansas City, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver released the following statement condemning the Trump Administration’s directive to fire approximately 100 federal workers at the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) Kansas City campus.

“As President Trump and Elon Musk work to gut the federal workforce so that billionaires like them have an easier time ripping off the American people, the relentless harassment of federal employees nationwide has now led to the reckless firing of hundreds of civil servants in the Kansas City region. 

“This shockingly shortsighted decision to let go of hundreds of committed public servants will not only leave these patriotic Americans hanging out to dry, but it will undermine essential services that Missourians rely on in the middle of tax season, while creating a cascading negative impact on our region’s economy. Considering that investments in the IRS have proven to increase revenue and cut down on our federal deficit, recouping $12 for every $1 spent on auditing the wealthiest 10% of Americans, the only logical conclusion is that this is all being done so that billionaires like Donald Trump and Elon Musk have an easier time cheating on their taxes.

“I condemn this sinful decision to terminate the employment of nearly 1,000 hardworking Kansas Citians for no reason other than gluttonous greed. As this action is inevitably litigated in federal courts, I will continue to use every lever available to support these civil servants and put an end to this extraordinarily damaging chaos.”

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Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.