EPA Freezes Grants, Tells Employees Not to Talk About It, Sources Say

There will still be leaks, and they will most likely be protected under First Amendment rules:<p><i>&quot;Should the Trump administration find out who talked to reporters and seek to retaliate against federal employees who leak unflattering material, there is good reason to believe that these employees are legally protected. An internal government decision such as the EPA’s freezing all grants and contracts is a matter of public concern and is not a matter of national security. That makes it difficult for the Trump administration to argue that it has a right to silence these employees.&quot;</i><p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.salon.com&#x2F;2017&#x2F;01&#x2F;24&#x2F;donald-trump-is-already-trying-to-muzzle-leakers-but-government-employees-have-broad-free-speech-rights&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.salon.com&#x2F;2017&#x2F;01&#x2F;24&#x2F;donald-trump-is-already-tryi...</a>

Trump is following Canada&#x27;s previous Prime Minister Steven Harper&#x27;s play book.<p>Harper cut funding to climate and environmental scientists and put a gag order on everyone involved.<p>Canadians finally had enough and kicked his party so far to the curb in the last election that even garbage collection refused to pick them up.