US Sen. Banks tells fired HHS employee he seems ‘like a clown’ WASHINGTON (WISH) — A U.S. senator from Indiana had a message for a former Health and Human Services employee, among up to 10,000 to be fired or laid off. Some of the laid-off employees were gathered in the basement of Senat e chamber of the U.S. Capitol building when they encountered Sen. Jim Banks, a Republican, on his way to an elevator. In a video shared with News 8 and available widely on social media from that location, one former HHS employee, Mack Schroeder, asked the Republican senator about his own firing. Schroeder said, “Hi, I was a worker at HHS. I was fired illegally on Feb. 14. There are many people who are not getting social service programs, especially people with disabilities. Are you going to do anything to stop what’s happening?” Banks, now in the elevator, said, “You probably deserved it.” Schroeder responded, “I deserved it?” As the elevator doors closed, Banks replied, “You seem like a clown.” Mack Schroeder says he was alarmed and found the senator’s answer off-putting. The Associated Press reported Tuesday that employees across the massive U.S. Health and Human Services Department began receiving notices of dismissal Tuesday. It’s important to note the courts have not made a ruling on the HHS employee firings. News 8 reached out to Banks’ team for comment on the interaction, and received a statement. “I went to Washington to decrease the size and scope of the federal government. No one is entitled to a taxpayer-funded job, especially in positions that waste those funds. “I fully support President Trump and DOGE’s mission to eliminate waste.” Programming note: Schroeder’s interview with News 8 is scheduled to air on News 8 at 10 p.m. Tuesday. News 8’s Kyla Russell and Gregg Montgomery contributed to this story 23 states, DC sue Trump administration over billions in lost public health funding ...read more read less