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American Military News
07-06-2025
- Politics
- American Military News
VA employees rally in Philly: ‘Save our jobs, save our vets'
Dozens of Philadelphia workers from the Department of Veterans Affairs gathered Thursday under an unyielding sun chanting: 'Save our jobs, save our vets.' Come lunchtime, allies and members of the American Federation of Government Employees arrived at Baltimore and University Avenues, outside the Cpl. Michael J. Crescenz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, for a rally to protect the members' union contract and benefits amid a shake-up of federal agencies by President Donald Trump's administration. A rally of VA employees at the VA medical Center in West Philadelphia, Thursday, June 5, 2025. (Jessica Griffin/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS) 'We have federal employees who have devoted their lives to take care of America and the thanks we get is … reductions, downsize on our pay, downgrading positions,' said Karen Ford Woods, president of AFGE Local 1793. 'When you take away our jobs, you take away service to America.' In March, Trump moved to end union representation for many federal agencies, including the VA. The VA stopped withholding union dues from worker paychecks in late April, and AFGE has lost dues-paying members as a result. Some have been transferring to an alternate payment system. The VA is one of the largest government employers in Pennsylvania, with roughly 19,321 employees as of September. The majority work for the Veterans Health Administration, which provides health care to veterans. AFGE Local 1793's members, who numbered 1,400 in April, include nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and other employees at the medical center in West Philly, community care-based clinics in the region, and administrative offices. Since the dues deduction stopped, membership is down to 800, said Yul Owens Jr., executive vice president of AFGE Local 1793. State Reps. Rick Krajewski, left, and Amen Brown, right, attend and speak at a rally of VA employees at the VA medical Center in West Philadelphia, Thursday, June 5, 2025. (Jessica Griffin/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS) 'Make no mistake about it, those executive orders aim to break our union; they aim to end our collective bargaining agreement and, most importantly, the workers' rights that we have,' Owens said, as passing drivers honked in support. VA employees have been among those affected by the Trump administration's efforts to shrink and reshape the federal workforce. The administration has ordered agencies to make plans for significant reductions in force, and put forth a deferred resignation program offering employees the chance to leave their jobs and continue getting paid for several months. Those plans include cutting 80,000 VA jobs. But mass layoffs appear to be on hold, blocked by the order of a federal judge in California. Amid the uncertainty, Everett Kelley, AFGE national president, said the administration needs to realize what the cuts mean for federal workers. 'Programs like Social Security and collective bargaining agreements aren't just paperwork,' Kelley said. 'They are the lifeline for millions of Americans.' AFGE has also expressed concerns about provisions included in the proposed federal budget bill that, union leaders say, would diminish federal workers' rights. The bill passed in the House of Representatives and is now in the Senate. A changing VA workplace in Philly Amid the threat of layoffs and the possible departure of colleagues accepting the resignation offer, VA workers living within 50 miles of a federal office were ordered to return to in-person work by May 5, and those who live farther have until late July. In the meantime, business must continue. After 40 years of service, Theresa Heard, 60, said, she feels betrayed by Washington but she cannot let her veterans know it. 'There is a commitment from people to put a smile on their face and greet every veteran as if they matter most,' Heard said. 'You have to stay focused on your job, you show up, and you pay attention to what work needs to be (done) for that day.' As a mother helping her children pay student loans, she cannot afford to lose her job. But she is committed to fight alongside her union for both her and the veterans she serves. 'I don't believe they actually know the work that we put in; I don't think they understand the commitment that you get from federal employees not always having all the ideal circumstances but finding a way to get the work done for our veterans.' ___ © 2025 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Fetterman Hits Back at ‘Weird Smear' After Call to Step Aside Over Mental Health
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman pushed back against criticism as he faces ongoing questions about his mental health and job performance in Washington. The Democratic lawmaker appeared alongside his fellow Pennsylvania Senator David McCormick on Monday and rejected accusations that he is not engaged in his job. 'For me, it's very clear, it's just part of this weird, this weird smear,' Fetterman said. The senator said he's been getting 'incoming' over his stance on Israel, the border, and not voting to shut the government down. He pushed for the conversation to move during his appearance in Boston at 'The Senate Project', which aired on Fox Nation. 'I'm here. I'm doing my job. I'm defending on all those things, and all of those important votes, I've always been there,' Fetterman said. 'And for me, if I miss some of those votes, I mean some of those votes, I've made 90 percent of them, and we all know those votes that I've missed were on Monday. Those are travel days, and I have three young kids,' Fetterman continued. He dismissed counts he had missed as 'throwaway procedural votes,' which were not important. Fetterman's comments came after a scathing op-ed in The Philadelphia Inquirer on Sunday in which the paper's editorial board wrote he 'must take his position seriously.' It noted the series of recent reports of erratic behavior, the senator missing and canceling meetings, and not showing up for more votes than nearly every other senator in the past two years. 'If Fetterman can't handle the attention or perform his job, then in the best interest of the country and the nearly 13 million residents of Pennsylvania he represents, he should step aside,' it wrote. The editorial is the latest in an avalanche of Fetterman criticism since a bombshell New York Magazine report a month ago detailed former staffers raising alarms over the senator's mental state. Fettrman blasted it as a hit piece. On Monday, Fetterman claimed Senator Bernie Sanders and Senator Patty Murray missed more votes than him. 'Why aren't the left media yelling and demanding them and claiming they're not doing their job?' Fetterman asked. According to tracking by Fetterman missed 174 out of 961 roll call votes, or 18.1 percent of votes from February 2023 to May 2025 and more than 21 percent of the votes in the last Congress. It noted that it is much worse than the median of 2.9 percent of votes senators have missed. Since taking office in 1993, Murray has missed 2.6 percent of votes, and 1.6 percent of votes in the last Congress. Sanders has missed 13.4 percent of votes since 1991, or 9.4 percent of votes in the last Congress.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Fetterman claims media trying to ‘smear' him over missed votes, absences
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) says the media is trying to 'smear' him over missing votes and committee hearings in the Senate, firing back at an editorial in The Philadelphia Inquirer that argued Fetterman needs to put more effort into his job or resign from Congress. Asked about the harsh op-ed during a debate in Boston on Monday, Fetterman called it a 'weird smear.' 'It's just part of like this weird — this weird smear,' Fetterman told 'Fox News Sunday' anchor Shannon Bream, who moderated a debate between the Pennsylvania Democrat and Sen. David McCormick (R-Pa.) at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate. 'The more kinds of — left kind of media continues to have these kinds of an attack,' Fetterman said. 'And it's just part of a smear and that's just not … it's just not accurate. 'And we've moved on and why we're still having this conversation — why at this point?' he asked. The debate was co-hosted by the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation and aired on Fox Nation. The Inquirer noted in its critical appraisal of Fetterman's track record that he has missed more votes than nearly every other senator in the past two years and regularly skips committee hearings, cancels meetings and avoids Democratic caucus lunches. The editorial observed that six former Fetterman staffers told an Inquirer reporter that Fetterman was frequently absent or spent hours alone in his office, avoiding colleagues and meetings. 'If Fetterman can't handle the attention or perform his job, then in the best interest of the country and the nearly 13 million residents of Pennsylvania he represents, he should step aside,' the paper argued. 'Being an elected representative is a privilege, not an entitlement. Being a U.S. senator is a serious job that requires full-time engagement.' Fetterman defended his missed votes as the result of a conscious choice to spend more time with his family, and he previously dismissed Monday afternoon 'bed-check' votes as procedural minutia that don't necessarily require his participation. 'If I miss some of those … votes, I've made 90 percent of them, and we all know those votes that I've missed were on Monday. Those are travel days,' he said. 'And I have three young kids and … those are throwaway procedural votes that they were never determined if … they were important. That's a choice that I made,' he added. Fetterman pointed out that Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) have also missed multiple Senate votes in recent months as Sanders has traveled the country rallying opposition to President Trump's agenda and Murray traveled home to care for her husband while he was in the hospital. 'If you want to attack me for that, go ahead,' he said of his attendance record. 'But I'd like to point out that, you know, Bernie and Sen. Murray missed more.' 'So why aren't the left media yelling and demanding them and claiming they're not doing their job and those kind of thing[s]? Just be genuine on that,' he said. A spokesperson for Murray said many of the Washington senator's 'missed votes were during a single evening of votes' when the Senate held a long vote-a-rama. 'Senator Murray was caring for her husband while he was in the hospital and was prepared to return to the floor if her vote might have been determinative,' the spokesperson said. She missed 32 votes in one week because of time spent caring for her husband. Fetterman has come under intense scrutiny since New York Magazine published a long article about his former staff members' concerns about what they viewed as erratic and potentially dangerous behavior. According to New York Magazine, the senator's former chief of staff, Adam Jentleson, wrote a 1,600-word email to Fetterman's doctor at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center warning that 'John is on a bad trajectory and I'm really worried about him.' The former staffer said he was concerned that Fetterman won't be 'with us for much longer.' Fetterman said last month that former employees who have expressed their concern about his behavior to the media have a 'bizarre grudge' against him. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Int'l Business Times
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Democratic Senator Berated by Newspaper From His Own State for Missing Votes, Avoiding His Colleagues: 'Serve or Step Away'
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) is facing blistering criticism from one of the major newspapers in his home state, which accused him of neglecting his Senate duties and called on him to "serve or step away." In an editorial, The Philadelphia Inquirer slammed Fetterman for missing more votes than almost any other senator over the last two years and for isolating himself from colleagues and the public. Multiple former staffers have raised red flags about his disengagement and mental fitness, citing erratic behavior, a string of senior staff resignations and minimal in-person interaction on Capitol Hill. While Fetterman has defended his absences as time spent with family and criticized the scrutiny as an attack on his mental health, the newspaper emphasized that public service comes with accountability—especially during a time of political volatility. Fetterman, who was elected to the Senate in 2022, previously suffered a stroke while on the campaign trail, and has discussed his battles with clinical depression. The senator now faces mounting pressure not only from media outlets but also from within political circles to either step up his level of engagement or resign. The editorial called out his international travel and TV appearances as signs that he is selectively prioritizing visibility over governance. "Other senators travel overseas but also show up for work in Washington and meet with constituents in their home state. Public service is not about serving yourself," the Inquirer's editorial board wrote. "It's time for Fetterman to serve Pennsylvanians, or step away." Fetterman's continued resistance to holding town halls or engaging directly with constituents is fueling public frustration. As the 2026 midterms approach, questions around Fetterman's ability and willingness to perform the full scope of his role could become a flashpoint in Pennsylvania politics. Originally published on Latin Times
Arabian Post
25-05-2025
- Business
- Arabian Post
AI Missteps Erode Trust in Newsrooms
Major news organisations are grappling with the fallout from deploying artificial intelligence in content creation, as instances of fabricated material and misattributed authorship surface, raising concerns over journalistic integrity. The Chicago Sun-Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer faced backlash after publishing a summer reading list featuring non-existent books and fictitious expert quotes. The content, syndicated by King Features and crafted by freelance writer Marco Buscaglia using AI tools, included fabricated titles like 'Tidewater Dreams' by Isabel Allende. Both newspapers have since removed the content and issued statements condemning the breach of editorial standards. Similarly, Sports Illustrated encountered criticism for publishing articles under fake author names, with AI-generated headshots and biographies. The Arena Group, its publisher, attributed the content to third-party provider AdVon Commerce, asserting that the articles were human-written but acknowledging the use of pseudonyms. The controversy led to the dismissal of CEO Ross Levinsohn and mass layoffs, following the revocation of the magazine's publishing license.
