Latest news with #McLaurinePinover
31-07-2025
- Business
Federal government paying 154,000 people not to work
The federal government is paying more than 154,000 federal employees not to work as part of the deferred resignation program, an administration official confirmed to ABC News. The updated figure, first reported by the Washington Post, includes thousands of government workers across dozens of agencies who took the buyout offers through June to maintain benefits and pay until the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. It represents just over 6% of the 2.3 million federal civilian workforce. To critics, the program has been administered haphazardly, throwing government offices into chaos and disrupting federal workers and programs indiscriminately, and prompting a number of legal fights between federal unions and the government -- all of it at taxpayers' expense. "The American taxpayer ultimately is not only watching federal employees who are deeply interested in serving the public be sidelined, they're having to pay for them too. It makes no sense at all," Max Steier, the president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, told ABC News. "They've done 'ready, fire, aim,' instead of 'ready, aim, fire.' It's detrimental to the capability of our government to meet our needs." To its proponents, the program has been an innovative way to streamline the federal government to focus on set priorities and recoup long-term cost savings after this fiscal year. "Ultimately, the deferred resignation program was not only legal, it provided over 150,000 civil servants a dignified and generous departure from the federal government," Office of Personnel Management spokeswoman McLaurine Pinover told ABC News. "It also delivered incredible relief to the American taxpayer. No previous administration has gotten even close to saving American taxpayers this amount of money in such a short amount of time." Former President Bill Clinton led an effort to reduce the federal workforce by more than 300,000 jobs, an initiative that took several years with congressional support. The Office of Personnel Management could not tell ABC News how much the government is spending on salaries and benefits for workers who have not been working and are resigning -- and how much the government has spent defending the "buyouts" in court. In a report released Thursday, Senate Democrats estimated that the government has spent billions on workers who are on leave by choice or involuntarily due to litigation -- and that the entire Department of Government Efficiency cost-saving campaign led by Elon Musk has cost the government $21.7 billion because of mistakes and waste. The $21.7 billion figure provided by Democrats is an estimate that might include figures disputed by the administration. It also includes an estimate for 200,000 employees in the "buyout" program, when the actual figure is 154,000.
South China Morning Post
14-03-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Who is McLaurine Pinover, the government employee posting ‘influencer' fashion content amid Doge lay-offs? The Alabaman has now deleted Instagram and says she ‘never made any income' from the move
McLaurine Pinover, the communications director at the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM), has come under fire for posting fashion influencer videos from the government office on social media as thousands of federal workers lose their jobs. President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk sit in a Tesla car in front of the White House in Washington, on March 11. Photo: Reuters The OPM has overseen mass lay offs in recent weeks as President Donald Trump and Elon Musk seek to cut down on the federal workforce. Pinover enraged netizens when she shared over a dozen clips of her modelling different outfits from the OPM office, per CNN. She reportedly directed followers from her Instagram account to a website, indicating that she could have been earning a commission on any sales. Advertisement Pinover shared a video of herself blowing a kiss into the camera with the hashtag #dcinfluencer and captioned it 'work look' – on the same day the OPM fired 20 people, according to the New York Post. The purple skirt she wore in the clip reportedly cost US$475, per CNN. A former OPM staffer during the Biden administration told CNN that her actions were 'absurd'. 'Your number one job as a leader is to protect and support your people,' Jack Miller, Pinover's predecessor under Biden, told the media outlet. 'So instead of fighting tooth and nail to keep your team, we're posting fashion videos. It's absurd.' Pinover has since deleted her Instagram account which was known as @getdressedwithmc. So, who is she exactly? McLaurine Pinover is an Auburn University graduate McLaurine Pinover hails from Alabama. Photo: @getdressedwithmc/Instagram Pinover – who is originally from Auburn, Alabama – graduated with a degree in political science from Auburn University, according to her introduction on The Herald Group website. She also worked in the White House during Donald Trump's first term, notes Vanity Fair. 'I was intimidated to move to a major city coming from a small town,' she told The Herald Group, who she worked for previously. 'Over time I realised DC has many similar qualities to a small town. I run into people I know all the time, and it's a city with lots of greenery and no skyscrapers.' She's a communications director McLaurine Pinover also worked for Donald Trump during his first term in the White House. Photo: @theheraldgroup/X
Washington Post
14-03-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
This wannabe influencer perfectly captures the DOGE era
On the day that 20 employees on her government communications team were laid off, a woman named McLaurine Pinover posted a sunny video of herself on Instagram showing off a $295 argyle cardigan by Ganni — a mid-priced Copenhagen label for cutesy separates — with a $340 paisley pleated skirt by Sandro, a Parisian brand that produces an earnest amalgam of 'French girl style.' Pinover, the spokesperson for the Office of Personnel Management, captioned the post 'a moment for mixed patterns,' at a moment when her agency was overseeing thousands of government layoffs, at the behest of Elon Musk's U.S. DOGE Service.
Express Tribune
13-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Trump official responsible for defending DOGE cuts under fire for filming fashion videos at OPM office
McLaurine Pinover, the communications director for the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), has faced backlash after filming fashion influencer videos inside her government office. Pinover, appointed during President Donald Trump's second term, used her office as a backdrop for several Instagram posts promoting clothing, with links to affiliate marketing sites. These videos were filmed during business hours, raising concerns that she may have violated government rules prohibiting the use of public property for personal gain. In one video posted while OPM was overseeing layoffs of thousands of federal employees, Pinover wore a $475 purple skirt and captioned the post with hashtags like #dcinfluencer. Photo: Instagram Critics, including former OPM staffers, expressed frustration, noting that while Pinover's team was working hard on government-related tasks, she was using her office for personal business. This has prompted accusations of hypocrisy, especially as Pinover had been advocating for job cuts while promoting her influencer career. Ethics experts have weighed in, with some arguing that Pinover's conduct may violate federal regulations, which prohibit the use of government resources for personal profit. However, Pinover did not identify herself as a federal employee in the posts, which could mitigate some of the concerns raised. Despite this, watchdog groups have criticised her actions as a breach of ethical standards, particularly given the context of government austerity measures being pushed by the Trump administration and figures like Elon Musk. Pinover has since deleted her Instagram account, but the controversy continues to fuel debates on the ethics of government employees using their positions for personal gain.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Auburn alumna cites cancer diagnosis after federal office fashion posts scrutinized
AUBURN, Ala. (WRBL) – McLaurine Pinover, an Auburn University graduate and communications director for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), is responding to scrutiny after a CNN report revealed she used her government office as the backdrop for social media fashion content. 'While I was battling breast cancer as a new mom, I felt so unlike myself. Shortly after, I turned to social media as a personal outlet. I never made any income and with only about 800 followers, I'm surprised this is newsworthy. My focus remains on serving the American people at OPM,' Pinover told WRBL. Pinover tells WRBL's Elizabeth White she is thankfully in remission. She spoke about her journey online at:McLaurine Pinover | Fran Drescher and Cancer Schmancer The controversy comes as OPM oversees mass federal layoffs. CNN reported Pinover filmed fashion-related videos in her office, directing followers to purchase clothing she showcased. On the same day OPM urged agencies to fire underperforming employees, Pinover posted a video modeling a $475 skirt with the caption 'work look' and the hashtag #dcinfluencer. Her account, which linked to a site where she could earn commissions, was deleted after CNN's inquiry. Watchdog groups say her posts may violate federal ethics rules against using government resources for personal gain. Donald K. Sherman, chief counsel for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, called it 'highly problematic'given the layoffs occurring under her agency's oversight. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
