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Washington, D.C.—In a sharply-worded letter, the leader of the union representing Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employees demanded the governor of Maine apologize for describing these dedicated and patriotic federal workers as “the new Gestapo.”

“I was greatly offended by your scurrilous and absurd comparison of these loyal Americans to the murderous secret police behind one of the darkest events in human history,” President Colleen M. Kelley of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) wrote to Maine Republican Gov. Paul LePage.

She called the governor’s insult “exactly the type of over-the-top political rhetoric that is not only a disservice to our national discourse, but to the long history of noble public service.”

Gov. LePage made the remark about the IRS in comments concerning the Supreme Court decision on the Affordable Care Act; he since has back-pedaled some, but has not yet offered a full apology, as demanded by President Kelley.

The NTEU president told Gov. LePage she hears every day from federal employees, from Maine and throughout the country, that “they are tired of being belittled and demonized in the name of political gamesmanship,” adding that “irresponsible rhetoric and mischaracterizations of federal employees can also lead to violent attacks on these workers.”

She noted the wide range of vital services provided by federal workers, including protecting the nation’s borders, safeguarding investments, working to become more energy independent, inspecting the food and drug supply, ensuring clean air and water, and more.

As for IRS employees specifically, she emphasized the help they provide their fellow citizens in navigating the increasingly complex tax code so they can receive a full and prompt refund—including at the five Taxpayer Assistance Centers in Maine—and the important reality that the IRS collects 93 percent of the revenue that funds vital public services.

“The time has come to acknowledge the contributions of employees with the IRS and other federal agencies,” Kelley wrote. “Federal employees are members of every community in America, including those in Maine, and these hard-working professionals are your constituents. They deserve better from their governor—and they deserve a full apology.”

NTEU is the largest independent federal union, representing 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments.