Embedded Files
WASHINGTON, DC — In a stunning act of illegal retaliation, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has fired two of the four civil rights attorneys who blew the whistle on illegal discrimination, political interference, and the dismantling of fair housing protections.
The terminations come just one week after Sen. Elizabeth Warren called for an Inspector General investigation into the whistleblowers’ disclosures — an unprecedented move that underscores the gravity of their allegations.
Palmer Heenan, a civil rights attorney at HUD and a member of AFGE Local 476 and Paul Osadebe is a civil rights attorney at HUD, a union steward with AFGE Local 476, were the two whistleblowers who gave public interviews last week, and who were both terminated this morning.
Whistleblowers Available for Interviews
Paul and Palmer can speak directly about:
The immediate impact of these firings on federal civil rights enforcement
The real-world consequences for renters, homeowners, and vulnerable communities
Urgent next steps needed from Congress and the public to protect civil rights enforcement
Why This Matters
Civil Rights at Risk: HUD is the federal agency charged with protecting Americans from housing discrimination. Firing its own civil rights attorneys guts that mission.
Courage in the Face of Retaliation: The firing of these whistleblowers shows the lengths this administration will go to silence truth-tellers — yet their bravery sends a stronger message across the federal workforce: speaking up is an act of service to the American people that no firing can erase.
Communities in Danger: Millions of renters, homeowners, and families — particularly people of color and low-income households — now face heightened risks of discrimination with fewer protections.
Impunity at the Top: These firings reveal an administration that believes it can act with impunity — breaking the law, dismantling civil rights, and punishing those who defend the public without consequence.
Contacts: media@federalunionists.net
Anna Bakalis, 323-770-4477
Shaye Skiff, 270-300-4980
The Federal Unionists Network (FUN) is a national movement of federal workers and allies working in coalition to defend public services and rebuild government for a more democratic, equitable, and just country.
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