A Department of Labor top official this week informed all staff members that they could face criminal charges if they speak to journalists, reports Mark Olalde of ProPublica.
Olalde reports, “The warning comes as current and former Labor Department employees have spoken to the news media about harms they see resulting from the dismantling of portions of their agency, which enforces laws guaranteeing rights to a safe workplace, fair pay and protections against discrimination.
“‘It’s very chilling,’ a Labor Department employee who requested anonymity for fear of retribution told ProPublica. ‘It’s never a good look when you’re telling people to never talk about what you’re doing.’
“Labor Department spokespeople did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“‘These types of missives can chill the free flow of information to the press and the public,’ said Gabe Rottman, vice president of policy at the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. ‘That’s a concern.'”
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