Virginia representatives have fueled anger over calling for a famous Holocaust-related quote in a federal attack on Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency efforts to modernize federal bureaucracy.
Democrat leader Joshua Cole compared Deju's cost-cutting initiative to attack Nazi German Jews during an emergency hearing last week about the agency's impact on Virginia.
“I have to say I've seen so many different people on social media that I'm pretty excited about these [DOGE] Cut; The call began with a brief speech at the hearing.
“And that reminds me of an old quote. Then they came for union members, and I didn't talk because I wasn't a union member. And they When I came for me, everyone was taken away, so no one would talk to me.”
The famous quote came from the German Rev. Martin Niemerer. He was initially arrested and had sympathy for Adolf Hitler before expressing his deep regret and opposition to the Nazis.
Republicans quickly hit Cole. Cole is located near Fredericksburg, about an hour's drive from Washington, D.C., with government workers.
“Comparing the loss of jobs in some governments with the Holocaust is a shaming to the memory of millions of people slaughtered. [by the Nazi regime]”Todd Gilbert, the minority leader of the State Capitol. Frustrated at Fox News.
Gilbert called on Cole to apologise to Virginians and Holocaust survivors.
“Virginia Dems downplayed the murders of six million Jews by comparing wasteful spending to the Holocaust,” said Virginia Lt. Colonel Winsam Earl Sears, who is competing for governor. said.
Other critics pointed out that Cole misquoted Niemeller. His original quote was, “I came first for the socialists, but I didn't speak up, because I wasn't a socialist. Then they came for the union members. And I didn't talk – because I wasn't a unionist.”
“Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak, because I was not Jewish. Then they came for me – and to speak for me There was no one left in it.”
X user Viva Frei wrote:
“Congratulations,” Frey jabed. “You've also broken the poem. And if your district has the highest concentration of federal workers, that's exactly part of the problem.”
Call did not respond to Monday's request for comment.
In his remarks, Cole also spoke about how Virginia legislators were forced to convene an emergency panel at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The difference between then and now is that extra money comes in. We're not going to come in. In fact, we're going to lose money in this situation,” he said. He talked about it.
“And I'm very interested in how the loss of federal income money affects our community.”
Virginia has several homes 145,000 federal workersat least a fifth is located across the Potomac River from the country's capital.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) has deployed plans to mitigate the potential impact of dodge reductions on the state. Before the mid-term 2026.
Youngkin has announced a “resource package” that includes the Virginiahasjobs.com website, which is announced for use by laid-off or fired workers to find new jobs.
“I actually have extraordinary sympathy for the fact that there are so many workers in Virginia today from federal workers experiencing real concerns,” the governor said Monday.
