FLRA’S ABBOTT TRASHES PRESIDENT
Jim Abbott came out hot in a new FLRA decision condemning the foul, racist-tinged language used day in and day out by our President. Shedding his unofficial title as the Administration’s most notorious moral hypocrite, The Jimbo let fly with both fists stating unequivocally that “There is no place for boorish, insulting, and demeaning language…” in the federal government. Specifically targeting several of Trump’s favorite words such as “fat,” “retard” and “loser,” Abbott let it be known that he would suspend the President for 14 days for such behavior. Jim would do that without even considering “you know whose” predisposition to engage in “assault and battery” of women, nor is he willing to accept the defense that this kind of language is “within the scope” of a president’s duties to the people he represents. He then dumped yet another big bucket of shade on the president saying leaders “should be able to comport themselves appropriately” when operating as government officials. Oops, wait a minute; we misspoke. We must have been dreaming. Jim wrote all his outrage only applies to a union president, not the President of the United States. Jim did not blame Trump’s constant verbal abuse of others for the fact that this kind of robust exchange might occur today between federal employees; rather he blamed the two dozen or so people who served on the FLRA before him for allowing this to happen. He also blamed…
his two current colleagues who got stuck on the fact that collective bargaining legally envisions that there will be some very heated moments between the parties. (Skilled LMR reps will recognize that Jim additionally displayed his deep ignorance of the role that heated, profanity-laced exchanges can have in resolving conflict.) So, we have to take back our earlier comment that Abbott has momentarily shed his role as the Administration’s Moral Chief Hypocrite. In fact, this latest decision adds to the evidence of his phoniness. Remember, Jim only got this FLRA position because he asked Trump if he could be on his team to help make America what Trump wants it to be. Jim wanted to and apparently still wants to be a Trump Toady no matter how demeaning—so long as he gets what he personally wants out of the deal.
Check out Dept. of Veteran Affairs and AFGE, 70 FLRA 13 (2019)
