Lake County Gazette

Mel Gurel, vice chairwoman of the Vernon Township Republicans, said that President Trump's actions are restoring a true meritocracy in the federal workforce by eliminating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. Gurel, a Buffalo Grove resident and local political activist, made this statement to the Lake County Gazette on January 31.

"Government jobs should go to the most capable, not those who check the right demographic boxes—and President Trump is making that happen," said Gurel. "By scrapping DEI policies that promoted discrimination under the guise of inclusion, he is restoring a fair, level playing field. Now, agencies will function with employees chosen for their expertise and effectiveness, not woke quotas. Meritocracy is back, and mediocrity is out the door."

In a January 20 executive order published on the White House website, the Office of the President said, "The Biden administration forced illegal and immoral discrimination programs, going by the name ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ (DEI), into virtually all aspects of the federal government… The public release of these plans demonstrated immense public waste and shameful discrimination. That ends today. Americans deserve a government committed to serving every person with equal dignity and respect, and to expending precious taxpayer resources only on making America great."

According to Politico, federal DEI websites went offline on January 22 after the White House warned of "adverse consequences" for agencies failing to report DEI-related details within 10 days. This shutdown followed a memo from the Office of Personnel Management ordering DEI workers to take paid leave and instructing agencies to remove DEI media by 5 p.m. Emails sent to multiple departments advised staff to report any disguised DEI efforts. Agencies like the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services had previously highlighted DEI’s role in efficiency.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported that some Illinois federal employees faced uncertainty after President Donald Trump’s executive order ended federal DEI programs. This affected agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Railroad Retirement Board. The Office of Personnel Management directed agencies to lay off DEI employees and report affected staff while employees on administrative leave await termination. The Sun-Times further reported that a reporting system was set up for those attempting to hide DEI ties.

According to her organization's website, Mel Gurel is vice chairwoman of the Vernon Township Republicans. The website states that Gurel "has been a resident of Buffalo Grove for 8 years. Her journey into local politics began in earnest shortly after March 2020 when COVID-19 lockdowns began and it became clear that executive orders for masking and remote learning had no clear end in sight. After helping to organize a rally at Stevenson High School, she found a political home at VTRO."