Sequester Brings Furloughs, Even to Public Safety

Republicans cry that the President and Democrats are crying wolf about sequester cuts and furloughs. But, the wolf is already biting. The U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia has already acted on furloughs, even though the U.S. Attorney in D.C. still handles major local crimes for this big city as well as some of the most important federal matters, including the prosecution of terrorism suspects.

The U.S. Attorney's notice says there will be up to 14 days – that's close to three weeks of work – of furlough days for Assistant U.S. Attorneys and other personnel. On furlough days, the notice says, Assistant U.S. Attorneys and other staff are not permitted to even come to the office to volunteer.

The problem with making the sequester a budget rather than a prod, as intended, is not the two percent sequester cut; it's the compression in a short period of time. The American people who depend on U.S. Attorneys deserve better than a deliberate and avoidable public safety furlough.

Published: March 5, 2013