Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt (Mo.) on Tuesday blocked a request by Democratic senators to pass legislation to protect federal workers from civil service reforms that President-elect Trump has endorsed to fight what he calls the “Deep State” in Washington, DC.

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) stood up on the Senate floor Tuesday afternoon to ask for unanimous consent to pass the Saving the Civil Service Act, warning there have been “attempts in recent years to erode the independence of the federal civil service,” referring to Trump’s efforts during his first term.

Kaine and other Democrats fear that Trump, now reelected, may attempt to reclassify tens of thousands of federal workers as political appointees who could be hired and fired at will.

Kaine argued that federal workers need to keep their civil service protections to insulate them from political........

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