The Partisan Pursuit: What's Happening Before Trump's Return?

In the months leading up to Donald Trump's anticipated return to the White House, conservative groups have been busy. They've been sending thousands of requests to federal agencies, asking for emails and texts from workers about tech billionaire Elon Musk and other topics. This isn't new; it's been happening for two years. These groups want to find federal workers they think are against them. They're using the Freedom of Information Act to dig through records. Some groups, like the Heritage Foundation, have submitted tens of thousands of requests. They're looking for any sign of partisanship, like emails about climate change or diversity programs. Another group, the American Accountability Foundation, even published a list of 60 people in the Department of Homeland Security who they think might get in Trump's way. These groups say they're just trying to make things transparent. But federal workers and their unions are worried. They think these requests could be used to fire people who don't agree with Trump. Some agencies are getting so many requests that they can't keep up. Trump has said he wants to make it easier to fire federal workers. He might use a 2020 executive order called Schedule F to do this. But no one knows exactly how he plans to do it. Unions are trying to fight back by teaming up with lawmakers and outside groups. They hope to bring attention to what's happening and protect federal workers.