Tornado Alley (PROG)

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Maryland congressmen take part in protest of Trump's action on USAID

"USAID security chiefs put on leave after trying to stop Musk’s team from accessing classified info, officials say"

It's a coup. There is no other way to describe it.

Updated: 6:12 PM EST Feb 3, 2025

Kate Amara
Reporter

VIDEO

WASHINGTON — Members of Maryland's congressional delegation took part Monday in leading a gathering in protest of recent Trump administration action on foreign aid.

A very large and vocal crowd gathered outside the Washington headquarters of the U.S. Agency for International Development, denouncing action taken by President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency to shut employees' access to the office. Many of the employees live in Maryland.

| MORE: USAID staffers were instructed to stay out of the agency's Washington headquarters. See what a notice they received said .. https://www.wbaltv.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-usaid-shutdown/63650821 .

U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Maryland U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-District 8, joined other congressional Democrats to share real-time information they had received from constituents with insider knowledge. They said that in addition to the headquarters' entrance being shuttered and roped off with caution tape, the computer servers were also taken over, the website went offline and paychecks were halted for some contractors.

The lawmakers called it illegal, outrageous and unconstitutional, saying the agency was created by an act of Congress. They said that if the administration doesn't like it to pass a law to get rid of it.

| EXPLAINER: What is USAID? We explain the US foreign aid agency and why Trump and Musk want to end it, tap here .. https://www.wbaltv.com/article/trump-usaid-changes-foreign-aid-freeze/63654703 .

The lawmakers then announced they were going inside the building to get some answers — and 11 News was there when the group emerged.

"Unfortunately, we only got past the security entrance. There's an additional door that would have taken us to the USAID offices, and we were denied access," said U.S. Rep. Johnny Olszewski, D-District 2.

"What they've done here at USAID with respect to civil servant employees is they've sent them home to work remotely. There are also federal individual contractors who work for USAID. Over the last 48 hours, they've essentially been disconnected from their email, and that is essentially putting lives at risk around the world," Van Hollen said.

| ALSO: USAID staffers said they also tracked more than 600 employees who reported being locked out of the agency's computer systems overnight. See how this started .. https://www.wbaltv.com/article/usaid-website-goes-offline-in-trump-administrations-2-week-old-freeze-on-foreign-aid-worldwide/63640810 .

"I'm proud of the USAID workers who are speaking out today. I'm proud of the contractors. And, I'm proud of everyone in the community who is standing in solidarity with the workers at USAID," Raskin said.

When it comes to what workers in Maryland should do, Raskin said they've been advised to telework.

The lawmakers vowed to do everything possible to fight the action, likely in court rather than through legislation, given the partisan makeup of the group protesting.

U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume, D-District 7, released a statement saying, "As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I am calling on President Trump and his secretary of state, Marco Rubio, to cease this foolishness and obey the law. President Trump and Elon Musk's reckless actions to close the doors at USAID are shameful, puzzling and a continuation of this administration's arbitrary purge of longstanding government efforts that empower some of the world's most vulnerable."

[Insert:Umm. Too polite, sir. And words are not enough. We assume you are taking all the serious action open to you.]

RIGHT NOW: massive, impromptu gathering outside USAID hq in DC. Maryland Democrats among the elected leaders calling the move to shutter the agency illegal and unconstitutional @wbaltv11

— Kate Amara (@kateamaraWBAL) February 3, 2025

USAID staffers told to stay out of Washington headquarters after Musk said Trump agreed to close it
https://www.wbaltv.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-usaid-shutdown/63650821

USAID website goes offline in Trump administration's 2-week-old freeze on foreign aid worldwide
https://www.wbaltv.com/article/usaid-website-goes-offline-in-trump-administrations-2-week-old-freeze-on-foreign-aid-worldwide/63640810

https://www.wbaltv.com/article/usaid-maryland-congress-members-protest-trump-elon-musk/63654647