Federal workers, concerned citizens protest actions of DOGE, Musk, Trump
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- People gather in front of the James V. Hansen Federal Building in Ogden on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, to participate in a rally denouncing cuts to the federal workforce by President Donald Trump.
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- Ogden School Board member Stacy Bernal, left in brown coat, speaks at the “Save Our Services Rally” at the James V. Hansen Federal Building in Ogden on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025.
OGDEN — Local leaders and federal employees are speaking out against a wave of mass firings and scrutinization of government workers by President Donald Trump and those in his inner circle.
Wednesday evening, several dozen people met out in front of the James V. Hansen Federal Building in Ogden to peacefully protest the actions of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, colloquially called DOGE, which has been spearheaded by South Africa-born billionaire Elon Musk and tasked with seeking out what it identifies as “wasteful” spending and directing job cuts throughout the government.
The “Save Our Services Rally” was organized by the National Treasury Employees Union Local Chapter 67.
“We didn’t elect Elon Musk,” said Daniel Martinez, legislative director for the NTEU chapter, as he led off the rally. “I think that this is part of that larger plan to really be scared to be federal employees. We should not have that trauma. We should not be under attack in this manner. We take an oath of office. It’s our duty, our right, our responsibility to take up that oath of office and work for the American taxpayers, and we work hard every single day.”
Wednesday’s rally came on the heels of news that the IRS, which employs thousands of people in Ogden, is set to see 6,700 probationary workers laid off this week, which potentially could have impacts.
Among the local leaders to speak at Wednesday’s rally was Ogden School District Board of Education member Stacy Bernal.
Noting that she was speaking for herself and not the school board, Bernal said this marked the third rally she’s attended in the month of February alone.
“I am not speaking on behalf of that body. However, as an elected member of the school board, I also took an oath to the Constitution of the United States of America and to the constitution of Utah,” she said. “Right now, our constitutional rights are being attacked.”
She added that what the Trump administration has been doing to the federal workforce is not normal.
“We’re here because we know what is happening is wrong,” she said. “I heard a gentleman the other day, he said, ‘(Donald Trump) is the president, he can do whatever he wants.’ No sir. In fact, he cannot do whatever he wants. Executive orders are not laws, and if they are found unconstitutional, they cannot pass. There are, right now, at least 74 lawsuits that have been filed in federal court against the administration and his executive actions.”
Bernal also asserted that state government also has been guilty of sowing chaos.
“This presidential administration, coupled with our Republican super-majority in the Legislature is currently wreaking havoc on Americans and Utahns,” she said. “Not all of us voted for this, but all of us are now facing the fallout. Our Legislature right now cares more about banning Pride flags and allowing Nazi flags than it cares about addressing our air quality, affordable living and the Great Salt Lake. We know what their priorities are. We deserve better.”
Also speaking was former Utah legislator Rosemary Lesser.
“Federal workers have been demonized,” she said. “This is one of the sad tragedies — when you think about the fact that Blake Moore, our congressman, is the co-chair of the DOGE Caucus. … Blake Moore should be here right now to answer, and he needs to be speaking out instead of just turning over and agreeing with what Elon Musk is doing in the president’s game.”
Ogden City Council member Angela Choberka also spoke Wednesday to emphasize that the governmental cuts can have very local impacts.
“We don’t understand the impact of these things, necessarily when we just see the big numbers and all of the numbers around economics,” she said. “We know, right here at home, this is going to affect, not only the individuals that are people … it’s also their immediate family, their extended family and it’s also the family of our community. It’s affecting all of us, no matter if we work in the building or not. Because you’re part of our community, it matters to us.”
Following the rally, President of NTEU Local Chapter 67 Robert Lawrence told local media that Ogden could be severely impacted.
“All of the probationary employees who came on within a year are due to be let go at some point,” he said. “We want the community to know and to understand that these people are critical to the mission of the IRS, to getting our tax returns out, getting our refunds out, processing tax returns.”
He estimated that there are around 1,000 probationary employees in the Ogden area.
“We aren’t the demons that they make us out to be,” he said. “We love our country, we are patriots and we love doing the work for our fellow Americans.”
Lawrence said no further demonstrations have been planned at this time.
