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A2 u.s. news
Thursday 6 February 2025
Callers swamp Senate offices in Trump’s first weeks, only to get

busy signals and full voicemail

By JULIE CARR SMYTH Both senators are close with
Associated Press Trump's vice president, JD
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Vance, and were with him as
Callers are getting busy sig- recently as Monday, during
nals and voicemail inboxes a tour of the 2023 derailment
are full at many U.S. Senate site in East Palestine.
offices as people try to reach Those frustrated by Trump's
out and voice their opinions actions shared similar stories
on President Donald Trump's with the AP of being unable
Cabinet picks, executive or- to reach their lawmakers.
ders and moves to dismantle They seemed to be experi-
various federal programs. encing particular barriers to
A memo distributed to Sen- connecting with the Senate
ate staff on Tuesday said offices of Trump's fellow Re-
there was a higher number publicans, who may be more
of calls than usual and that inundated than Democrats
some callers were having because Republicans hold
trouble getting through. the chamber's majority and
"The Senate is experiencing are more likely to have the
an unusually high volume of president's ear.
inbound calls. External call- Lawmakers were frustrated,
ers may receive a temporary too, as they seek to main-
busy signal when phoning a tain operations amid the
Senate office," according to The U.S. Capitol is seen, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Washington. Associated Press barrage. Senate voicemail
the memo obtained by The One popular post making week from the U.S. Agency ing that she expects to be boxes only hold about 1,000
Associated Press. the rounds on social media for International Develop- fired later this week. messages before becoming
The influx of phone calls urged opponents of those ment, said it took her four Meryl Neiman of Ohio Pro- full and needing to be cata-
comes as Trump and ally actions to call their lawmak- attempts over five days to gressive Action Leaders and logued and emptied.
Elon Musk are working to ers six times a day, every day successfully leave a message others within her network Moreno's spokesperson, Rea-
shrink the federal govern- — two calls each to their two for her senator, Republican sought to draw attention to gan McCarthy, said helping
ment during the president's senators and two to their Ron Johnson, after dealing the fact that they were hav- Ohioans in need is his top
first weeks in office. They are House member. "You should with an overloaded voice- ing trouble reaching both her priority.
shuttering agencies, tempo- NOT be bothering with on- mail box, grainy recorded state's senators — Republi- "While the Senate has been
rarily freezing funding and line petitions or emailing," it greetings and a busy signal. cans Bernie Moreno and dealing with an exception-
pushing workers to resign, said. The post urged use of a "I wanted to express my con- Jon Husted — by phone or ally high volume of calls, our
all while staffers with Musk's smartphone app that would cern with dismantling USAID in person at their field offices office is committed to re-
so-called Department of make the task of making mul- without any sort of review, before Wednesday's nation- sponding to each and every
Government Efficiency infil- tiple calls per day easier. and to relay my experience wide protests against Trump Ohioan in need of assistance
trate departments in a stated Caitlin Christman, an insti- with its work, which I believe and Project 2025, a hard- and working through all re-
effort to root out fraud and tutional support contractor has been in our country's right playbook for American quests as quickly as possible,"
abuse. in Wisconsin furloughed last best interest," she said, not- government and society. she said in a statement.q

Pam Bondi is sworn in as attorney general as the

Justice Department braces for major shakeup

the operations of the depart- throughout this world, and is in turmoil over the scrutiny
ment that investigated him make America safe again," of agents involved in Trump-
during his first term and then Bondi said. related investigations. FBI
brought two since-aban- The Senate confirmed Bondi agents sued the Tuesday af-
doned indictments after he in a 54-46 vote Tuesday that ter an extraordinary request
left office in 2021. was almost entirely along from the Justice Department
Before Supreme Court Jus- party lines. The lone Demo- for the names of agents who
tice Clarence Thomas ad- crat to join Republicans was participated in the investiga-
ministered the oath of office, Pennsylvania Sen. John Fet- tion into the Jan. 6 riot that
Pam Bondi is sworn in as Attorney General by Supreme Court As- Trump praised Bondi's record terman. led to more than 1,500 crimi-
sociate Justice Clarence Thomas, right, as partner John Wake- as a prosecutor and said she Republicans have highlight- nal cases. Many within the
field and mother Patsy Bondi, look on, in the Oval Office of the will "end the weaponization ed Bondi's record in Florida in FBI had seen that request as
White House, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in Washington. of federal law enforcement." taking on human traffickers a precursor for mass firings.
Associated Press Bondi, who was Florida's first and opioids. GOP lawmakers Acting Deputy Director Emil
By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER will over an agency that has female attorney general be- she will bring much-needed Bove later said in a memo to
and ERIC TUCKER long provoked his ire. fore becoming a lobbyist, change to a department the workforce that FBI agents
Associated Press The ceremony took place in told the president that she they believe unfairly pursued "who simply followed orders
WASHINGTON (AP) — Pam the Oval Office and it was the would not let him down. Trump through investigations and carried out their duties in
Bondi was sworn in Wednes- first time that the Republican "I will make you proud and I and mistreated his support- an ethical manner" are not
day as attorney general, president had participated will make this country proud," ers who were prosecuted in at risk of being fired. The only
taking charge of the Justice in a second-term swearing-in she said. "I will restore integri- connection with the Capitol employees who should be
Department as it braces for of a Cabinet member. It was ty to the Justice Department riot on Jan. 6, 2021. concerned, Bove wrote, "are
upheaval with President Don- further evidence of Trump's and I will fight violent crime As attorney general Bondi those who aced with corrupt
ald Trump aiming to exert his intense personal interest in throughout this country and will oversee the FBI, which or partisan intent."q