Political retaliation at US state department puts nation’s safety at risk: Senator

WASHINGTON, Aug 17: The recently-exposed hostile treatment of staff at the State Department’s Bureau of International Organization Affairs (IO) puts US national security at risk, Senator Bob Menendez said in a press release.
“Politicizing our national security puts America’s safety at risk. Creating a hostile environment at the State Department, discriminating against loyal public servants, and retaliating against those deemed not loyal is a cancer at the State Department and for career employees across the government,” Menendez stated on Friday.
On Thursday, State Department Office of Inspector General (OIG) published a report detailing hostile behavior of top officials at the IO towards their staffers, including harassing some over the suspicions that they were “disloyal” due to their alleged political views.
The report is the first of the two from Inspector General’s office, which investigates allegations that President Donald Trump’s political appointees retaliated against career State Department diplomats, according to media reports. The second part is reportedly still being drafted.
Thursday’s report in part focuses on the Assistant Secretary of State for IO Kevin Moley, who allegedly failed to stop the misbehavior despite numerous complaints. The report also mentions another senior political appointee Mari Stull, who has since left the bureau.
(AGENCIES)

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