As someone who was fired for refusing to manipulate public health data to suit a political narrative, I am deeply disturbed—but not surprised—by the removal of Dr. Erika McEntarfer from her post as Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Dr. McEntarfer is a highly respected economist and public servant whose only “offense” was doing her job—reporting accurate employment data that happened to reflect poorly on those in power. The decision to fire her is not just an attack on her personally, but on the integrity of our national statistical institutions, and on every civil servant who has committed their life to truth, accuracy, and public accountability.
When data becomes inconvenient, authoritarian leaders reach for the same tools: censorship, retaliation, and intimidation. This is what I lived through in Florida. This is what scientists, economists, and public officials across the country are now experiencing at the federal level. The dismissal of Dr. McEntarfer is a signal—loud and clear—that no number, no fact, no dataset is safe if it conflicts with a campaign slogan.
Americans deserve to know the truth about their economy, their health, and their future. Firing experts who tell that truth doesn’t change reality—it just obscures it from the public eye. We cannot afford to normalize the purging of truth-tellers from government service.
I stand in solidarity with Dr. McEntarfer and every public servant who refuses to bend the facts for political gain. The integrity of our democracy depends on people like her.
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