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GOP Officials Privately Admit Trump’s Federal Buyout Plan Violates Federal Law

NNPA NEWSWIRE — While congressional Republicans have remained largely silent, GOP officials privately admit that the Trump administration’s offer to pay federal employees beyond the government’s mid-March funding deadline violates federal law

Published

1 year ago

February 4, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Federal employees across the country received an unsettling email Monday morning—a directive from the Trump administration’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM) outlining a so-called “deferred resignation program” that offers workers guaranteed pay and benefits until September 30, 2025—months beyond the government’s current funding deadline. Legal experts, state attorneys general, and labor organizations are warning that the administration’s move is not only legally dubious but outright illegal. It violates the Anti-Deficiency Act, which bars the government from spending money that Congress has not authorized.

GOP Officials Acknowledge Buyout Program Is Illegal

While congressional Republicans have remained largely silent, GOP officials privately admit that the Trump administration’s offer to pay federal employees beyond the government’s mid-March funding deadline violates federal law. “This is an outright violation of federal law,” one Republican official told CBS News. “Anybody else would be walked out of an agency for going $1 beyond appropriated dollars. The back-of-the-napkin math on this offer—paying all federal employees for 6.5 months beyond current appropriations—comes out to about $50 billion. Even if only a fraction accepts, the obligation is still incurred.” Despite these warnings, few expect congressional Republicans to challenge the administration’s move, leaving the program’s legality in limbo.

State Attorneys General Warn Federal Employees to Avoid the Scheme

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown joined 11 other states in cautioning federal employees against the Trump administration’s proposal, calling it an attack on the government’s ability to serve the public. “The terms of this vague, so-called ‘deferred resignation’ put federal employees in an ambiguous position and risk straining essential government resources that people across the state and country rely on to live full, healthy lives,” Brown said in a statement Monday. Unions representing federal workers have also condemned the move, warning that it is nothing more than an attempt to dismantle the civil service under the guise of cost-cutting.

“The number of civil servants hasn’t meaningfully changed since 1970, but more Americans than ever rely on government services,” the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) said. “Purging the federal government of dedicated career civil servants will have vast, unintended consequences that will cause chaos for the Americans who depend on a functioning federal government.”

The Deferred Resignation Offer: A Legal and Logistical Mess

The latest email from OPM, titled “Fork in the Road”, is the third communication sent to federal employees regarding the resignation plan. The message, according to CBS News, reads:

Q: The current funding bill for the federal government expires on March 14. Will I still receive full pay and benefits if the money runs out?

A: Any government shutdown could potentially affect an employee’s pay regardless of whether he or she has accepted the deferred resignation offer. Moreover, if you accept the deferred resignation offer, you would still be entitled to backpay under the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act.

Legal experts have pointed out that the Administrative Leave Act only allows agencies to place employees on 10 workdays of paid leave in a calendar year—nowhere near the eight months of paid leave that OPM is now offering under the Trump administration’s directive.

“This email is another ill-motivated effort to get as many federal employees to quit as soon as possible,” said Peter Jenkins, senior counsel for Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). “OPM has no legal authority to reliably claim that the Trump administration will put everyone who quits in the next eight days on paid administrative leave throughout the next eight months.”

According to PEER’s analysis, OPM’s website explicitly states that the maximum incentive for voluntary resignations is capped at $25,000—a stark contrast to the months-long compensation the administration promises.

Further, PEER’s executive director, Tim Whitehouse, said federal employees should be extremely skeptical of the buyout offer.

“The country needs a strong civil service to help address these threats, something this administration seems determined to destroy,” Whitehouse told NPR. “Federal employees should be very skeptical about accepting this offer.”

History Shows Buyouts Lead to Higher Costs and Workforce Instability

Buyouts and workforce reductions have been tried before, with disastrous consequences. A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on similar buyouts during the Clinton administration in the 1990s found that many agencies granted buyouts without a clear strategy, leading to a loss of institutional knowledge and forcing the government to hire back many of the same employees as higher-paid consultants. Experts warn that this time’s effects could be even worse, particularly given the Trump administration’s efforts to sideline federal employees working in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and environmental justice roles.

“In a cruel twist, the administration has arbitrarily sidelined employees across the government who work on diversity, equity, inclusion, and environmental justice issues,” PEER reported. These employees, who were already placed on administrative leave and denied access to their emails, cannot even respond to this offer. Despite the administration’s claims that the buyout will save money, economists say it is unlikely to deliver the promised results.

“The government spends about $350 billion a year on federal employees—just 5% of the total budget—yet this administration is determined to gut the civil service as if it’s some bloated bureaucracy,” said Josh Bivens, chief economist at the Economic Policy Institute, in an interview with CBS News.

Widespread Fallout Looms as Buyout Deadline Nears

With the February 6 deadline fast approaching, federal workers nationwide are being forced to decide whether to accept an offer that could leave them without legal recourse if the administration fails to follow through on its promises. Meanwhile, Congressional Republicans remain silent, despite growing concerns from legal experts, state officials, and workers. According to Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, many of these federal workers are veterans and professionals who have dedicated their lives to serving the country.

“Most people don’t understand that lots of people in the military go into civil service because they want to continue to serve,” Stier told NPR.

Stacy M. Brown

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Published

1 week ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

Published

1 week ago

May 3, 2026

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Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

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1 week ago

May 3, 2026

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

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