Representative Williams Sends Letter to HUD Demanding Reinstatement of Fired Whistleblowers; Take Action to Defend Fair Housing and Civil Rights in Housing!
Oct 20, 2025
By Kayla Blackwell, NLIHC Senior Housing Policy Analyst and San Kwon, NLIHC Policy Intern
On October 9, Representative Nikema Williams (D-GA), along with 37 other House colleagues, sent a letter to U.S. HUD Secretary Scott Turner demanding that HUD reinstate two wrongly terminated attorneys. Palmer Heenan and Paul Osadebe were fired from their role as civil rights lawyers at HUD after their participation in a recent whistleblower report where they, among others, alleged that HUD leadership is actively and systematically undermining HUD’s duties in enforcing civil rights and fair housing laws (see Memo, 9/29).
In the letter, Representatives demanded that HUD:
- Publicly commit to protecting whistleblowers within HUD, including reinstating Mr. Osadebe and Mr. Heenan pending an independent review of their terminations;
- Provide a written explanation for the decision to terminate each attorney, including a description of the process used, the rationale for each termination, and an explanation of the extent to which media interviews or internal dissent had a role in the decision;
- Confirm whether HUD leadership has undertaken or when HUD plans to initiate any reviews of the enforcement rollback raised by these attorneys and provide a summary of findings; and
- Detail the steps HUD is taking to ensure that the enforcement of the “Fair Housing Act” is prioritized and independent from political interference.
“These terminations are clearly retaliatory against whistleblowers. These actions represent a troubling and illegal abuse of authority. They are also a violation of the transparency and accountability which must guide any federal agency, regardless of party… The alleged termination of Paul Osadebe and Palmer Heenan, who spoke out about potential civil rights interference from political appointees, sends a disturbing message to the American people and other HUD employees that loyalty to the Administration is primary, rather than the Constitution and the Department’s statutory obligations,” the members wrote.
Reiterating the demands outlined in a letter sent to Chairman French Hill (R-AR) and Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC) from Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), the members also urged HUD to commit to testifying before the House Financial Services Committee and the Senate Banking Committee (see Memo, 10/6).
“We urge you to reverse course immediately and reinstate the attorneys in question. The Department must commit to protecting civil rights enforcement. Regardless of the Administration, we can not ignore retaliation against whistleblowers—nor dismantle civil rights protections for a Department whose key duty is to protect and provide housing opportunities for every American citizen,” concluded the letter.
Take Action to Defend Fair Housing and Civil Rights!
Tell your members of Congress that the “Fair Housing Act” is not optional, and HUD must defend civil rights in housing! Ask your Senators and Representatives to speak out against Secretary Turner’s disregard for the law and instead, Turner’s FHEO must enforce the “Fair Housing Act” and fund the Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) and the Fair Housing Assistance Programs (FHAP).
Members can also cosponsor the “Fair Housing Improvement Act” (S.2827, H.R.5443), introduced by Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Representative Scott Peters (D-CA) to protect veterans and voucher recipients from housing discrimination. You can use NLIHC’s Take Action page to look up your member offices or call/send an email directly!
Read Rep. Williams’ press statement on the letter here.
Read the full text of the letter here.