APDU

Statistics, public data leaders condemn Trump’s order to fire BLS commissioner One group, whose leadership includes two former BLS commissioners, called on Congress to respond immediately and investigate her removal.

“It’s just completely disheartening. It’s a sign that norms that have long existed are shattered,” says APDU President @amy-ohara.bsky.social about the firing of BLS Commissioner McEnfarfer

fedscoop.com/statistics-p...

6. And ours...
apdu.org?p=5813739

5. Data Rescue Project bsky.app/profile/data...

4. USA Facts bsky.app/profile/usaf...

3. AEA bsky.app/profile/copa...

2. COPAFS copafs.org/removal-of-b...

In memory? No.
Anytime since 1884? Maybe?

And share public statements opposing her firing.
We've got a roundup here:

1. Friends of BLS: bsky.app/profile/eric...

You can find your rep here:
www.congress.gov/members/find...
And, to make it easy, we've drafted sample scrip (scroll to the bottom of APDU's statement):
apdu.org?p=5813739

Wondering what *you* can do about the president's baseless firing Dr Erika McEntarfer from her role as BLS Commissioner?

We have 3 suggestions:
1 - Contact your rep (sample script at link in 🧵).
2 - Let us know how you use jobs, inflation, or other data from BLS.
3 - Share widely (cont'd)...

We join our colleagues @copafs.bsky.social @apduorg.bsky.social and other orgs in our support for the BLS.

www.datarescueproject.org/support-for-...

AEA Statement on Dismissal of BLS Comm.

"The independence of the federal statistical agencies is essential to the proper functioning of a modern economy. Accurate, timely, and impartial statistics are the foundation upon which households, businesses, and policymakers make critical decisions."

I will be talking about #BLS on MSNBC with Ali Velshi at noon ET/9 am PT.

The initial estimate of job change for a month is based on the growth or loss of jobs at the businesses that have reported their data. Generally, BLS assumes that the employment situation at businesses that had reported is representative of the situation at those that had not yet reported. BLS continues to collect outstanding reports from the businesses in the sample as it prepares a second and then a third estimate for the month. With each subsequent estimate, more businesses have provided their information. In 2012, the average collection rate at the time of the third estimate for a month was 94.6 percent. (See chart 1.)

Why do the jobs numbers get revised?

our markets and policymakers want data NOW but employer data dribbles in over months

1st estimate is based on the 75% of employers who respond promptly

Updates occur as more data rolls in: 95% response rate by final revision 1/N

www.bls.gov/opub/btn/vol...

Regarding the firing of BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer, we are dismayed to see the continuing politicization of the federal statistical system and undermining of the work of our federal employees. The friends of BLS statement says it all.

Trump fires labor statistics chief after large revision to jobs report Trump orders firing of Erika McEntarfer, the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, after release of large revisions to employment data

Many are voicing concerns about Trump's decision to fire the BLS commissioner after BLS reported that the job market was weaker than expected. Federal workers must be protected so they don't have to choose between their professional integrity & jobs. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

The totally groundless firing of Dr. Erika McEntarfer, my successor as Commissioner of Labor Statistics at BLS, sets a dangerous precedent and undermines the statistical mission of the Bureau. For a full statement opposing this move, read:

Trump’s first BLS Commissioner, Bill Beach, calls today’s firing groundless and dangerous.
www.friendsofbls.org/updates/2025...

Full statement is now on our website
apdu.org?p=5813739
#econsky

It has been the honor of my life to serve as Commissioner of BLS alongside the many dedicated civil servants tasked with measuring a vast and dynamic economy. It is vital and important work and I thank them for their service to this nation.

Just going to leave this right here...

I was just informed that our Country’s “Jobs Numbers” are being produced by a Biden Appointee, Dr. Erika McEntarfer, the Commissioner of Labor Statistics, who faked the Jobs Numbers before the Election to try and boost Kamala’s chances of Victory. This is the same Bureau of Labor Statistics that overstated the Jobs Growth in March 2024 by approximately 818,000 and, then again, right before the 2024 Presidential Election, in August and September, by 112,000. These were Records — No one can be that wrong? We need accurate Jobs Numbers. I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY. She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified. Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can’t be manipulated for political purposes. McEntarfer said there were only 73,000 Jobs added (a shock!) but, more importantly, that a major mistake was made by them, 258,000 Jobs downward, in the prior two months. Similar things happened in the first part of the year, always to the negative. The Economy is BOOMING under “TRUMP” despite a Fed that also plays games, this time with Interest Rates, where they lowered them twice, and substantially, just before the Presidential Election, I assume in the hopes of getting “Kamala” elected – How did that work out? Jerome “Too Late” Powell should also be put “out to pasture.” Thank you for your attention to this matter!

BREAKING: President Trump is calling for the firing of the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics hours after the federal statistical agency released a weaker-than-expected jobs report

The moment many of us in the public data community have feared has come to pass: the President has fired the head of a federal statistical agency because the data are politically inconvenient. Today President Trump accused BLS Commissioner Dr. Erika McEntarfer of deliberately reporting false numbers to reflect poorly on this administration, with no evidence of his claims, and he ordered her firing. To be clear, the BLS Commissioner simply did what her job entails: reporting the truth based on well-respected, well-documented, transparent, and reliable standards. Those standards include revising prior estimates as new data become available, a process which has happened with every jobs report (under administrations of both parties) for decades without incident.

Under the law, disliking the data is not a qualifying reason to remove the BLS Commissioner from her four-year appointment. Under our democracy, it is unacceptable to fire someone for publishing data collected in accordance with scientific standards. We concur wholeheartedly with our colleagues at the Friends of BLS, who wrote in their statement: “This rationale for firing Dr. McEntarfer is without merit and undermines the credibility of federal economic statistics that are a cornerstone of intelligent economic decision-making by businesses, families, and policymakers. U.S. official statistics are the gold standard globally. When leaders of other nations have politicized economic data, it has destroyed public trust in all official statistics and in government science.” This is a road that we, as a country, cannot afford to take. And we echo their call to Congress to respond immediately, to investigate the factors that led to Commissioner McEntarfer’s removal, to strongly urge the BLS Commissioner’s continued service, and ensure that the nonpartisan integrity of the position is retained.

7. The Association of Public Data Users, @apduorg.bsky.social, says: "Under our democracy, it is unacceptable to fire someone for publishing data collected in accordance with scientific standards"

We apologize for the lack of alt text because we pulled this from elsewhere, but thought you should know that the Friends of BLS have issued a statement calling on Congress to reinstate Commissioner Erika McEntarfer and protect the bureau's integrity. ✊

APDU Statement on Firing of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Commissioner | Association of Public Data Users (APDU) APDU Statement on Firing of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Commissioner "The moment many of us in the public data community have feared has come to pass: the President has fired the head of a federa...

You can also read the full statement via our LinkedIn post
www.linkedin.com/posts/apdu-a...

The Friends of #BLS protest the firing of BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer.

The rationale for firing her is without merit and undermines the credibility of federal economic statistics that are a cornerstone of intelligent economic decision-making by businesses, families, and policymakers.

"The moment many of us in the public data community have feared has come to pass: the President has fired the head of a federal statistical agency because the data are politically inconvenient."

Read our newsletter for the full statement

Statement from Friends of BLS on Commissioner McEntarfer’s Removal.

“This escalates the President’s unprecedented attacks on the independence and integrity of the federal statistical system.”

www.friendsofbls.org/updates/2025...

"The authors of this legislation that you’re referencing are proposing something that’s against the constitution"
www.wfla.com/news/florida...

Please see the status report we released this morning as part of our project to assess the health of the federal statistical agencies. | Steve Pierson Please see the status report we released this morning as part of our project to assess the health of the federal statistical agencies. The report takes stock of the 2025 developments to date affecting...

Data nerds: Bookmark this timely status report!

“[W]e have witnessed reductions in...federal statistical data...Despite our grave concerns…we are confident that data users can trust the #federalstatistics ... still being released.”

#econsky @aaronsojourner.org
www.linkedin.com/posts/steve-...

A conversation with Jen Pahlka On Abundance, DOGE and fixing state capacity

A conversation with Jen Pahlka
(On Abundance, DOGE and fixing state capacity)
HT @donmoyn.bsky.social
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/a-conversa...