The Government Efficiency Division usually begins its inquiries with an email trying to dig deeper into an agency’s operations. Recently, such an email extended to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). However, the GAO’s reply emphasized its position as a legislative branch entity operating for Congress, hence not within the purview of the Efficiency Division or related Executive Orders, a clear example of the organization’s broadened reach beyond top-tier cabinet positions.
National Public Radio (NPR) has found nearly 40 entities within, close to, and outside the federal government where the Efficiency Division, under the previous administration, has been focusing. Some organizations have already experienced a structural overhaul such as the U.S. Institute of Peace. This also includes agencies proposed for elimination in the President’s budget proposal like AmeriCorps and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
Not all targets of the Efficiency Division are government agencies. Some, like the GAO, have refused the division’s overtures, including the independent Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the private non-profit Vera Institute of Justice. How the Efficiency Division selects its targets can be revealed through the activities of its six main staff members based at the General Services Administration.
These key players include Nate Cavanaugh, Justin Fox, Justin Aimonetti, Jack Stein, Jonathan Mendelson, and Marshall Wood. Cavanaugh holds the title of president of the U.S. Institute of Peace now. Following his appointment as the acting director of the Interagency Council on Homelessness, another agency on the chopping block, he placed its entire staff on administrative leave.
Justin Fox, an undergraduate at Indiana University Bloomington, partners with Cavanaugh frequently. He joined the Efficiency Division in early March and was soon assigned to further its objectives at USADF. His involvement has now expanded to include meetings concerning IAF, NEH, USIP, the Wilson Center, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, among others.
Aiding their efforts, at times, is Justin Aimonetti, a legal practitioner. The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, a small federal outfit that advises the President and Congress on preserving the country’s heritage, received an email from the Efficiency Division on April 17. This initiated talks about assigning a division team to the agency, which employs just 42 individuals.
A virtual conversation happened on April 22, followed by an in-person meeting the next day. While detailing their quest for understanding the heritage agency’s responsibilities, budget, staff, and contracts, Lynne Richmond, acting director of communications, education, and outreach at ACHP, remained engaged. A team from the Efficiency Division has since been assigned to ACHP while their integration process is underway.
This scenario mirrors what numerous small, often little-known, independent entities across the federal sphere have experienced since early March. One such agency is the Access Board that formulates accessibility standards under federal laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. According to Amy Nieves, a spokesperson for the Board, a friendly meeting was held with the Efficiency Division members.
The National Peace Corps Association, an alumni organization, has expressed concerns that this may lead the already lean agency to lose even more resources, affecting its ongoing services for current Peace Corps volunteers and alumni. However, some agencies have been temporarily safeguarded against job cuts and furloughs via court rulings.
The Efficiency Division’s reach extends even to several privately incorporated nonprofits. These organizations were set up by Congress and receive public funding, however, they are not classified as government agencies. This includes the Legal Services Corporation, which provides legal help for those who cannot afford it; the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, functioning under the name NeighborWorks America; and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which extends grants to public radio and TV stations.
In April, Cavanaugh attempted to assign an Efficiency Division team to evaluate the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s operations. Douglas Robinson, a spokesperson for NeighborWorks America, responded to the outreach, aligning his organization with the administration’s housing objectives and committing to the efficiency principles of financial resource delivery and technical expertise, crucial for sustaining and building affordable housing.
The Efficiency Division’s strategic vision extends much further. At larger, more renowned agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service and Department of Agriculture, it has been accumulating personal data for various reasons, including immigration enforcement and fraud detection. This widening net of influence has led to layoffs, reduced services, and grant cancellities across the federal government.
The post Probing the Influence of the Government Efficiency Division appeared first on Real News Now.
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