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A conservative women's organization has joined an investigation into the United States Secret Service's hiring and promotion policies, focusing on the agency's use of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) criteria.
The Independent Women's Forum (IWF) has partnered with Mountain States Legal Foundation to examine whether the Secret Service's DEI policies are compromising merit-based selection in the agency responsible for protecting high-profile government officials.
The move comes in the wake of the attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life in July. The incident raised questions about the agency's competence and the IWF is questioning whether diversity goals might have had a bearing on that.
The group says it is particularly concerned about the Secret Service's target of having 30% female agents by 2030, which it argues could lead to discriminatory hiring practices. The organization is now seeking testimonies from current and former agents who believe they have experienced sex-based discrimination.
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May Mailman, director of Independent Women's Law Center, criticized the current administration's approach: “Not only do biased hiring practices in high-stakes roles threaten our national security, but they create doubts over female competence, threatening women’s ability to be viewed and treated as equal.”
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While supporting efforts to recruit qualified women and provide necessary benefits, IWF argues that sex-based employment decisions are not only illegal but potentially harmful to women's professional standing.
Mountain States Legal Foundation has announced plans to file a lawsuit against the Secret Service for alleged civil rights violations. Will Trachman, the foundation's general counsel, emphasized the critical nature of the Secret Service's role, stating, "Protecting candidates for President of the United States is imperative to the functioning of our Republic."
The investigation aims to ensure that hiring practices in the Secret Service prioritize qualifications over meeting diversity quotas, particularly in roles crucial to national security.
The case is being fought in the against a backdrop of certain well-known corporations reassessing their DEI commitments in the face of social media criticism around the subject.
