The agency responsible for closing or delaying the openings of federal facilities in the Washington, D.C., area was nearly silent in the days leading up to Wednesday’s insurrection by violent Trump supporters seeking to overturn the results of November’s presidential election.
In most circumstances, the Office of Personnel Management issues advisories to agencies in and around the nation’s capital on whether, or when, federal workers should report to work during anticipated events that could disrupt operations, be they large demonstrations or inclement weather like snow or hurricanes. For instance, last month, OPM issued a memorandum granting D.C.-area feds the day off on Inauguration Day.
In 2000, OPM was among half a dozen federal agencies to shutter their D.C. headquarters in advance of protests against the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, when 90 protesters were arrested.
But this week, the leadership of the agency issued no public guidance about the influx of hundreds of Trump supporters intent on overturning the results of the presidential election, even as D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser warned residents to stay away from groups of Proud Boys, a violent white supremacist group, and others who appear to be “looking for a fight.”
Instead, OPM Human Resources sent an email to employees around 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday entitled “Traffic Advisory,” informing them of a “First Amendment demonstration” and road closures associated with the event that culminated in the U.S. Capitol and congressional office buildings going on lockdown for hours. One woman was shot during the melee, and reportedly has died. The email ..
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