Sen Joni Ernst wants remote government workers investigated: ‘We’re coming after them’

Senator Joni Ernst recently called for an investigation into the conduct of some federal workers who are working remotely due to the pandemic. “We’re going to be looking into that making sure that the federal government is diligent and responsible with their employees,” she said during a speech on the Senate floor. “So we’re coming after them.” It is unclear what sort of investigation she intends to undertake, and she has yet to offer details on what her end goals for the investigation are. Many federal employees are working from home in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and it is not known at this time if Senator Ernst’s remarks are in response to suspected cases of workers taking advantage of a situation or whether she is looking into the overall efficacy of the remote work arrangements. Regardless, her remarks have raised some concerns about possible overreach by the federal government.