Top State Department adviser fired over 'abusive' management style

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: Politico

FOREIGN POLICY

Top State Department adviser fired over 'abusive' management style
Kiron Skinner, the director of the Policy Planning Staff, was told on Thursday that she was being dismissed.

By NAHAL TOOSI and ELIANA JOHNSON 08/02/2019 10:29 AM EDT Updated 08/02/2019 12:07 PM EDT

A senior adviser to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was fired this week over what officials described as her "abusive" management style, including making homophobic remarks and accusing people of having affairs, according to two people.

Kiron Skinner, the director of Policy Planning, was told Thursday that she was being dismissed, a Trump administration official said. A senior State Department official also confirmed the firing, saying that several members of Skinner's staff had threatened to quit if she wasn't removed.

Two other State Department officials said Skinner acted unprofessionally in multiple ways, including yelling in public spaces and using homophobic language. She retaliated against employees by kicking them out of their offices and even alleged that some people were having affairs, the two officials said.

"It was an abuse of authority," one of them said.

Skinner could not immediately be reached for comment Friday.
....

Read more: https://www.politico.com/story/2019/08/02/top-state-department-adviser-fired-1444894

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Hat tip, Joe.My.God:

Pompeo Fires "Abusive" Natural Law Commission Spox
August 2, 2019

https://www.joemygod.com/2019/08/pompeo-fires-abusive-natural-law-commission-spox/

-- -- -- --

Previously at DU:

Trump Admin To Launch Fresh Assault On LGBT Rights With New Federal Commission On "Natural Law"

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142323193#post5

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. I would think that kind of behavior would warrant a promotion in this administration.

[brush]

5. It would if she wasn't an AA.

Poor AA repugs. They sometimes forget that is the party for white racism.

But being a bad manager doesn't cut it. Ironically, there is a similar story about one of our candidates who survived years of treating staff badly.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

6. Alcoholics Anonymous? I thought they kept membership private. . . . nt

[brush]

7. FYI: African American. I can't believe that has to be explained here, or did you...

just forget the sarcasm gif?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

8. In English language, the convention is to denote an acronym on first use to be clear

There are often several phrases that any average acronym might represent.

You certainly had space in your title or post.

Yes, I know AA refers to African-American as well as refers to Alcholics Anonymous. But do a Google search on "AA" and you'll see that African American doesn't even appear on the first page of hits. If you want to toss out TLAs and UETs and TCs, you are not prevented.

[brush]

10. Seriously? On DU you think people think Alcoholics Anonyous when...

they see AA?

Please!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

13. No. But thoughtful writers will take simple steps for smooth reading

Sure, we can all endure a bump in your post where we pause and think "Probably means African-American" and then go on reading the post to see if it pans out.

But as a writer I try to write such that there are no such bumps in the road for my readers. And the time is well spent. Three seconds or even ten seconds spent typing A f r i a backspace c a n A m r backspace e r i c a n is a much better use of time than costing ten thousand readers a half-second speed bump (10,000 x 0.5 = 5000 seconds or over an hour).

[brush]

15. God! An issue is being made of a commonly used abbreviation instead of the OP topic.

You see unexpected things on DU sometimes but I have faith in the posters here. Most are pretty smart and can figure things out pretty quickly.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

16. I agree with the OP topic. I have no info or insight or venting to add to it at this time.

... though of course it is fine if others feel and act on needing to vent against tRump's latest idiocy.

However, as a reader (and writer of posts etc) I care about writing.

[pecosbob]

11. Not a common use...did the same double take but figured it out.

[brush]

12. AA is used quite often here. Don't know what else to tell you.

[TeamPooka]

18. When writing initials or acronyms use the full term first so when you use the shorter version

afterwards readers understand your intent and meaning.
AA has many meanings and it is the job of the writer to not confuse readers and be clear about the subject.
Yes AA is a common use for African Americans here but it is also used to talk about Alcoholics Anonymous.
Your responses act like there is no other meaning for AA, including American Airlines and Alcoa's stock symbol.

The use of African American goes back to a public campaign Jesse Jackson started in 1988 to replace the descriptive "black," especially in newspaper reporting.

Alcoholics Anonymous was started in 1935 and has a longer use of the initials colloquially in this country.
So maybe losing the attitude towards others over your lack of clarity in your post would be the right course here.
Maybe.

[brush]

19. Yeah, sure. Everyone here is going to observe NYT style book guidelines.

Please! This is a Democratic political board where the abbreviation for African American is used and widely understood 1000 times, IMO, more than any reference to Alcoa Aluminum or Alcoholics Anonymous, but keep on beating a senseless dead horse that has nothing to do with the topic of the thread.

[TeamPooka]

20. Everyone doesn't have to follow the Elements of Style, but when they don't

they leave their words and posts open to interpretation.
As you did today.

[brush]

21. It's used all the time here. Wonder why you don't know that.

[TeamPooka]

22. I do. Several people including myself have noted that so do not lie please.

[brush]

23. Lie about what? It's used quite often here.

[TeamPooka]

24. Lie that we have not noted AA's use to denote African American at DU in this discussion

You made a slight mistake in writing your post and you can't admit it, so now you lie about what has been said when everyone can see it all in the thread.
Plain as day.
Thanks for playing.
I see now only blocking you will spare me from your future grammatical errors and inability to get over them when pointed out by several members.
Good luck in the future.

[brush]

25. Keep beating the dead horse instead discussing OP topic.

And what mistake did I make by saying AA is used quite often here as an abbreviation for African American?

[TeamPooka]

26. Bye Straw Man. I'll miss you most.

[brush]

27. Can't point out how I allegedly lied I see.

[iluvtennis]

17. ++ agree.

[rsdsharp]

2. The very definition of irony.

Someone (else) in the Trump administration gets fired for abusive behavior.

[Eugene]

4. Good riddance, but what godawful pick will TrumpCo select to replace her?

[Brainfodder]

9. This isn't a side piece?

What the hell, this makes sense!

What's really going on?

[pecosbob]

14. Sounds more like what's happening to Sue Gordon...not a Trump team player

I wouldn't want to diminish anyone's just complaint of mistreatment, though.

[Thomas Hurt]

28. Seems she would appeal to Pompeo as a person to promote....maybe a cabinet position eh?

[stillcool]

29. is this a joke?

I can believe she was fired, but the reason is suspicious, considering the source.