The site has sparked apprehension among health workers as it reveals their salaries alongside what is referred to as “DEI offenses.” These offenses include details such as political contributions, snapshots of social media interactions, excerpts from websites describing their professional endeavors, or involvement in a DEI initiative that has been removed from a federal platform. Benjamin has raised the issue of online harassment potentially constituting a criminal act and has called for law enforcement to investigate.
An individual employed at a federal health agency, who is not listed on the contentious website, has labeled it as a form of psychological warfare. This person mentioned that the link has been circulating within their private group chat comprising federal health employees, leading some to experience heightened anxiety. The worker expressed difficulty in assessing the legitimacy of the threat, highlighting a general sense of paranoia prevailing among colleagues. “I have no information about the organization behind this or its overarching association. People are currently on edge,” the employee shared.
The website features a footnote attributing its creation to the “American Accountability Foundation,” a conservative oversight group. This is not the first instance of such a list being compiled by the organization. Reports indicate that in December, the group forwarded a roster of names to Pete Hegseth, who was then a defense secretary nominee, identifying military personnel deemed excessively focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Neither the American Accountability Foundation nor the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has promptly responded to requests for comments regarding the situation. The emergence of this website follows a challenging period for public health workers, particularly those at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Employees at the CDC have reported receiving “threatening” directives from HHS instructing them to cease any involvement in activities, positions, or studies associated with diversity, equity, and inclusion. Furthermore, they are urged to report colleagues who fail to comply with these directives.
Describing the tone of these memos as aggressive and intimidating, a CDC physician, speaking on condition of anonymity, emphasized the prevalent atmosphere of fear and alarm. NBC News reviewed one of the memos which mandated employees to review all position descriptions within the agency and notify individuals engaged in promoting gender ideology that they are to be placed on paid administrative leave with immediate effect.
Consequently, there has been a surge in paranoia among staff members. “I know of instances where individuals have been placed on administrative leave based on perceived breaches linked to these ambiguous memos. People are living in constant fear of making any missteps that could lead to termination,” expressed another CDC physician.
The pervasive apprehension has even impacted casual office gatherings, with a potluck luncheon among co-workers being abruptly canceled out of fear that it could be mistakenly interpreted as an attempt to endorse cultural diversity. Despite the challenging circumstances, public health workers reiterated their dedication to their roles and the critical nature of their work. “If I were to depart, who would step into my shoes?” questioned
