FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 4, 2023
Union Veterans Council Blast DeSantis' Threats Against Federal Employees and Veterans
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Union Veterans Council, AFL-CIO (UVC), an organization dedicated to advocating for the rights and interests of America’s veterans, is repulsed by and strongly condemns the recent remarks made by Ron DeSantis, in which he stated he would start "slitting throats on Day One" of federal employees if elected president.
“Ron DeSantis’ threats are not simply against federal employees,” said (Combat Infantry Veteran) Will Attig, Executive Director of the Union Veterans Council. “These are casual threats against a significant number of American veterans. Over half a million veterans are currently serving their nation in a second uniform as federal employees, continuing to demonstrate their dedication to our country and their fellow Americans. These brave, selfless Americans deserve better than death threats from a presidential candidate and possible new boss.”
According to the Office of Personnel Management, the federal government is the nation's leading employer of veterans, with over 1 in 4 employees who are veterans. This level of representation is significant and outpaces the private sector, with the federal government hiring three times the percentage of veterans, seven times the percentage of disabled veterans, and ten times the percentage of severely injured veterans.
“Our nation’s veterans have willingly risked their lives on the front lines of conflicts in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. They knew the risks of those missions but never expected they’d face threats of violence from candidates vying for the office of commander-in-chief. This type of language is entirely out of bounds and undermines the sacrifices and contributions made by our veterans who continue to serve the American people through our government.
“If Ron DeSantis has any honor as a veteran, he will immediately retract his vile statement and offer a sincere apology to the hundreds of thousands of veterans serving in our federal government. Unfortunately, I don’t think he would know what honor was if it hit him in the backside as he exited this race in disgrace.”
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