GAMEDAY: South Carolina at LSU l 6:45 p.m. l SECN 1C Southern at Bethune-Cookman l 2 p.m. 5C
ADVOCATE THE
T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M
|
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
S at u r d ay, O c t O b e r 11, 2025
$2.00X
Firings triggered by shutdown begin White House seeks to pressure Democrats
BY SEUNG MIN KIM and STEPHEN GROVES Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The White House budget office said Friday that mass firings of federal workers have started, an attempt by President Donald Trump’s administration to exert more pressure on Democratic lawmakers as the government shutdown dragged into a 10th day. Russ Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, said on the social media site X that the “RIFs have begun,” referring to Vought reduction-in-force plans aimed at reducing the size of the federal government. A spokesperson for the budget office said the reductions are “substantial” but did not offer more details. Employees at the departments of Education, Treasury, Homeland Security and Health and Human Services, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, were set to receive the notices, according to spokespeople for the agencies and union representatives for federal workers. The aggressive move by Trump’s budget office goes far beyond what usually happens in a government shutdown and escalates an already politically toxic dynamic between the White House and Congress. Talks to end the shutdown are almost nonexistent. Typically, federal workers are furloughed but restored to their jobs once the shutdown ends, traditionally with back pay. Some 750,000 employees are expected to be furloughed during the shutdown, officials have said.
ä See FIRINGS, page 4A
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ALLISON ROBBERT
U.S. Capitol Police monitor the perimeter of the Capitol on Thursday as the government shutdown entered its ninth day.
Federal food assistance continuing for now BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer
WASHINGTON — The Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps, will continue despite a government shutdown, officials say — as long as the standoff doesn’t last into November. The U.S. Department of Agriculture receives money for
SNAP a month in advance, according to its shutdown plan. But most of the department’s staff was sent home, which will cause delays in processing applications and verifying benefits. The shutdown left some programs, such as Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children — commonly known as WIC
— about to run out of money sooner. But the Trump administration announced it would divert tariff dollars to continue providing vouchers for about 7 million low-income women to buy infant formula and other food. The tariff money is not part of the appropriations imbroglio that caused the government closure.
Tariffs imposed or increased by President Donald Trump to stimulate U.S. manufacturing have collected about $190 billion so far. The shutdown occurred because Republicans and Democrats in Congress couldn’t agree on a new appropriations bill, so authority to spend money
ä See FOOD, page 4A
Complaint alleges BR mayor’s aide bullied employees Metro Council members call for investigation BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER
dent Sid Edwards’ top administrators after another high-ranking official accused her of bullying and intimidating East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Coun- employees. On Wednesday, Chief Service Officil members are calling for an outside investigation into one of Mayor-Presi- cer Yolanda Burnette-Lankford filed a Staff writer
WEATHER HIGH 85 LOW 58 PAGE 6A
four-page complaint against Assistant Chief Administrative Officer Monique Appeaning. The document, obtained by The Advocate, says Appeaning’s actions have “created a toxic, intimidating and emotionally distressing environment.” Burnette-Lankford wrote that Appeaning used a racial slur and slur against people with intellectual disabili-
ties. She said Appeaning’s behavior has “caused severe emotional distress,” and her “unchecked authority” is wielded “more like a mafia boss than a professional government worker.” She claims Appeaning repeatedly interfered with her duties, humiliated
ä See COMPLAINT, page 5A Appeaning
Business ......................5B Deaths .........................4B Nation-World ................2A Classified .....................7D Living............................1D Opinion ........................6B Comics-Puzzles .....4D-6D Metro ...........................1B Sports ..........................1C
it’s time! SCHEDULE YOUR MAMMOGRAM TODAY!
101ST yEAR, NO. 103