US Senator Critiques Fired HHS Employee's Conduct

A U.S. senator from Indiana, Jim Banks, had a heated exchange with a former Health and Human Services employee who was among up to 10,000 people to be fired or laid off.

The incident occurred when the laid-off employees were gathered in the basement of the Senate chamber of the U.S. Capitol building, where they encountered Sen. Jim Banks on his way to an elevator.

Mack Schroeder, a former HHS employee, approached the senator and asked about his own firing: "Hi, I was a worker at HHS. I was fired illegally on Feb. 14. There are many people who are not getting social service programs, especially people with disabilities. Are you going to do anything to stop what's happening?"

Banks responded from inside the elevator: "You probably deserved it."

Schroeder reacted in alarm: "I deserved it?"

"You seem like a clown," Banks replied as the elevator doors closed.

Schroeder found the senator's answer off-putting, and News 8 has scheduled an interview with him to air at 10 p.m. Tuesday.

The Associated Press reported that employees across the U.S. Health and Human Services Department began receiving notices of dismissal on Tuesday.

It is important to note that the courts have not made a ruling on the HHS employee firings.