Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Firing Of Capitol Workers Causes Furor
WASHINGTON, March 20 - The firing of eight Capitol maintenance workers for alleged dereliction of duty has caused outcries for a congressional investigation and the appointment of an independent prosecutor. While the Architect of the Capitol Agency (AOC), responsible for the construction, maintenance, and modification of the Capitol complex, has traditionally been a low key, non-partisan government service, it is now being accused of playing politics at the expense of low level workers.
According to a source in the AOC, maintenance workers failed to remove graffiti and other signs of disrespect to Republicans found in the Capitol washrooms in a timely manner. In one public men's washroom the words "Bush Sucks" was prominently painted on the wall and remained there for a week before it was removed.
Other washroom acts of disrespect, said the AOC source, included a Bush likeness on each square of toilet paper, the words "Bush has blood on his hands" printed on the red liquid soap dispensers, and helium-filled balloons on the ceiling sporting anti-war slogans.
The union representing the fired workers insists that Capitol maintenance crews are overworked and are unable to quickly respond to complaints by Congressmen. "You wouldn't believe how many toilets used by members of the House and Senate get clogged in any given day," said a union spokesman. "Even with recently installed power flush mechanisms, these toilets can't handle the massive amounts of shit flushed in short periods of time."
One of the fired workers who requested anonymity compared cleaning the toilets in the Capitol to working in an elephant house. "I'll take the zoo any day," he said. "It's a lot easier dealing with animals than politicians."
The AOC's Deputy Architect and Chief Operating Officer Stephen T. Ayers admitted that the firings were handled badly. He claimed he learned about them after the fact and was surprised that replacements loyal to President Bush were recommended by senior Republican Senators. "Republicans traditionally prefer poor African Americans who vote Democratic to clean up after them," said Ayers.
New York Senator Chuck Schumer categorized the washroom decorations as a free speech issue and said Ayers should be reassigned to a Roto-Router detail. "Do we ask the maintenance staff to remove congressmen who are filling the air with BS?" he asked.
On the other hand Mississippi Senator Trent Lott noted he had no sympathy for the fired workers. "We pay those boys a good minimum wage and they don't even bother stepping off the sidewalk or averting their eyes when they see me coming down the street," he complained.
According to a source in the AOC, maintenance workers failed to remove graffiti and other signs of disrespect to Republicans found in the Capitol washrooms in a timely manner. In one public men's washroom the words "Bush Sucks" was prominently painted on the wall and remained there for a week before it was removed.
Other washroom acts of disrespect, said the AOC source, included a Bush likeness on each square of toilet paper, the words "Bush has blood on his hands" printed on the red liquid soap dispensers, and helium-filled balloons on the ceiling sporting anti-war slogans.
The union representing the fired workers insists that Capitol maintenance crews are overworked and are unable to quickly respond to complaints by Congressmen. "You wouldn't believe how many toilets used by members of the House and Senate get clogged in any given day," said a union spokesman. "Even with recently installed power flush mechanisms, these toilets can't handle the massive amounts of shit flushed in short periods of time."
One of the fired workers who requested anonymity compared cleaning the toilets in the Capitol to working in an elephant house. "I'll take the zoo any day," he said. "It's a lot easier dealing with animals than politicians."
The AOC's Deputy Architect and Chief Operating Officer Stephen T. Ayers admitted that the firings were handled badly. He claimed he learned about them after the fact and was surprised that replacements loyal to President Bush were recommended by senior Republican Senators. "Republicans traditionally prefer poor African Americans who vote Democratic to clean up after them," said Ayers.
New York Senator Chuck Schumer categorized the washroom decorations as a free speech issue and said Ayers should be reassigned to a Roto-Router detail. "Do we ask the maintenance staff to remove congressmen who are filling the air with BS?" he asked.
On the other hand Mississippi Senator Trent Lott noted he had no sympathy for the fired workers. "We pay those boys a good minimum wage and they don't even bother stepping off the sidewalk or averting their eyes when they see me coming down the street," he complained.
