Richland Mayor Theresa Richardson has received both criticism and praise for a recent social media post in support of billionaire Elon Musk and his efforts to reduce federal spending during the Trump administration.
The post was made on February 11, just days before news broke that more than a dozen federal probationary workers overseeing work at the highly contaminated Department of Energy Hanford nuclear site and the DOE national lab in Richland had been laid off, with more cuts expected.
“Do you listen to Elon Musk? He’s being so open. “How can you doubt what he’s telling us?” read the post on Richardson’s private Facebook page.
Eleven days later, on Friday, the post had received over 460 reactions and 420 comments, despite the fact that it was moderated by Richardson, Habitat for Humanity’s retired CEO.
“I’m really grateful that he’s willing to do this,” Richardson later said of Musk.
Its efforts have been far-reaching, with cuts affecting grants from the Department of Education to the Department of Health and Human Services.
Democrats have criticised Trump’s austerity measures, particularly with Musk — Tesla and SpaceX CEO and the world’s richest man — in charge. According to the New York Times, an analysis found that the list of $55 billion in savings is “full of accounting errors, outdated data, and other miscalculations.”
Hanford and the Pacific North-west National Laboratory employ 19,000 people, the majority of whom live in the Tri-Cities area. Their work is overseen and directed by approximately 340 DOE employees.
However, the largest federal presence is indirect. Many workers paid with federal dollars work for federal contractors.
Tri-City residents react
Many Tri-City residents expressed support for Trump’s DOGE effort in the comments section of Richardson’s post.
“It is refreshing. It is innovative. It is inconvenient. “He wants to improve government,” wrote Leo Perales, a Pasco city councilman.
“It boggles my mind that people are so opposed to exposing government fraud. “Fortunately, they are the minority,” James Timmons wrote.
Others expressed disapproval and urged Richardson to be more compassionate. Some have criticised her for allegedly deleting comments.
“It’s only a matter of time before it affects the people you represent,” wrote Annie Jones. “The foundation of Richland is built on federal spending. DOGE management is flagrantly unconstitutional in determining federal spending without congressional approval.
Leslie Stegen wrote: “We all want waste removed from the federal government. The way they are doing it is incorrect. They must follow the constitution and the judge’s orders. They’re doing neither. They are causing real harm not only here, but also in other countries.
Shutting down agencies and freezing funds without considering the consequences and fallout is extremely irresponsible. There is no plan; simply slash and burn.”On February 11, Trump issued an executive order establishing the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, as a fledgeling workforce optimisation initiative to reduce federal spending.
Richardson declined to speak with the Herald about her post on Friday, but she did provide a statement from City Manager Jon Amundson.
“Ms. Richardson’s Facebook page is a personal page not hosted or sanctioned by the city of Richland,” he informed me.
Amundson went on to cite Lindke v. Freed, a U.S. Supreme Court case that clarifies when social media posts by public officials constitute “government speech.” The city manager claims that the court has ruled that private pages, unless government sanctioned, do not fall within those boundaries and can limit comments.
“There is no evidence that Ms. Richardson’s posts or comments were made on behalf of the city of Richland or with the approval of a majority of council. Instead, Ms. Richardson’s personal Facebook page is and has always been used primarily for personal matters and interests,” he stated.
Misty Muchlinski, chair of the Benton County Democrats, issued a statement this week claiming that Richardson’s remarks “overlook the wonderful makeup of our community, including the many hardworking federal employees who live and contribute to the local economy.”
“It’s critical that our elected leaders show unwavering support for all segments of the community, especially those who keep our nation running, and that includes advocating for their economic security and well being,” she told the audience.
Central Washington Congressman Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside, expressed “concerns that the unintended consequences of these workforce reductions will have long-lasting implications at Hanford, PNNL, and (Bonneville Power Administration).”
Richardson was first elected to Richland City Council in 2021. In 2023, she was overwhelmingly reelected to her seat, and the council appointed her mayor the following year.
