A federal employee in Boston who is at risk of losing her job because she spoke to the press about the impact of the government shutdown on food benefits is defending her choice, saying it was her right as a citizen and duty as a union leader.

Ellen Mei, an employee of the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service and president of the National Treasury Employees Union’s Chapter 255, which represents FNS employees in the Northeast, said at a press conference Friday that she was dedicated to providing a public service.

“This press conference today isn’t just about getting me my job back. It isn’t just about defending federal workers,” said Mei, a Cambridge resident who works in the Tip O’Neill Federal Building in Boston. “It’s about speaking up against the administration’s attempt to stifle all

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