Trump Administration's Shutdown Decisions Leave Congressional Republicans in the Dark

As the government shutdown drags on, many congressional Republicans are finding themselves in the dark about the Trump administration's decisions on which federal workers are being laid off and which federal contracts are being cancelled. Despite having been told by Senate Majority Leader John Thune that they are being kept informed, some lawmakers say they are only learning about the decisions after they've been made public. The lack of communication has left many Republican lawmakers feeling frustrated and uninformed, with some even questioning whether the administration is intentionally keeping them in the dark.

Key Takeaways:

Multiple GOP lawmakers told CNN that they are only finding out about the administration's decisions after they've been made public, despite being told by White House officials that they are being kept informed.
The administration has cancelled nearly $8 billion dollars' worth of energy projects around the country and laid off over 4,000 federal employees, with some GOP lawmakers suggesting that the cuts have been targeted at Democratic strongholds and priorities.
Despite promises of transparency, many Republican lawmakers say they are only given information after the fact, with some claiming that they are not even consulted on important decisions.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has defended the administration's decision to fire federal workers, blaming Democrats for the shutdown and suggesting that the layoffs are a "forced decision" on the administration.
The White House has also been accused of withholding information from lawmakers, with some Republicans saying they are not informed about the administration's plans for federal dollars in their state.
The lack of communication has been particularly pronounced during the shutdown, with many federal workers at agencies being furloughed and unable to respond to lawmaker requests.
Despite some lawmakers expressing frustration, the administration has shown no signs of reversing its decision to withhold information, with White House officials suggesting that lawmakers should just "communicate with us" if they have concerns.

Statistics:

$8 billion dollars: The total amount of cancelled energy projects around the country.
4,000: The number of federal employees laid off by the administration.
10,000: The number of potential firings across the government, according to White House budget chief Russell Vought.
18,000: The number of federal workers in West Virginia, a state that is home to a large number of federal employees.
9: The number of times Senate Democrats have voted to keep the government shut down, according to Senate Majority Leader Thune.

Sources:

A CNN report citing multiple GOP lawmakers as saying they are only finding out about the administration's decisions after they've been made public.
An Energy Department spokesperson saying that multiple members of Rep. Mark Amodei's office were notified about the cancellations.
A statement from White House officials saying that the administration "has been very communicative with Hill Republicans about shutdown-related actions."
A report from CNN citing Sen. Susan Collins as saying that the Appropriations Committee believes it should receive more information and a list of canceled or paused contracts.
A report from CNN citing Sen. Lisa Murkowski as saying that she is not part of the decision-making process about how federal dollars in her state are cut or who gets laid off.
A statement from White House officials saying that the administration "is not going to cave in" to the Democrats' demands and will continue to carry out its plans.