President Donald Trump has requested the US Supreme Court’s permission to dismiss the leader of an independent ethics agency tasked with safeguarding whistleblower federal employees.
An emergency appeal has been submitted to the nation’s highest court, seeking a ruling on whether Hampton Dellinger, the head of the US Office of Special Counsel, can be dismissed.
The case is believed to be the inaugural instance linked to Trump’s extensive series of executive actions that have ascended to the highest court.
Trump has dismissed over a dozen inspectors general from multiple federal agencies and terminated thousands of government employees.
Mr. Dellinger, nominated by President Joe Biden, has initiated legal action against the Trump administration following his dismissal via email earlier this month.
He contended that his dismissal violated a statute safeguarding independent agency heads from presidential termination, “except in cases of neglect of duty, malfeasance or inefficiency.”
According to its mission statement, the agency identifies the protection of federal employees from unlawful reprisals related to whistleblowing as one of its key objectives.
A federal judge in Washington, D.C., granted a temporary order on Wednesday, permitting Mr. Dellinger to retain his position while the case is reviewed.
On Saturday, the US Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., issued a divided ruling, denying the Trump administration’s appeal to overturn the lower court’s decision.
According to reports from multiple US media outlets, the Justice Department has initiated an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court, currently dominated by conservative justices.
“This court should not permit lower courts to usurp executive authority by instructing the president on the duration of employment for an agency head against his wishes,” stated Sarah M Harris, the acting solicitor general, in a filing submitted by the Department of Justice to the Washington Post.
The acting solicitor general stated, as reported by the Associated Press, “Until now, as far as we are aware, no court in American history has wielded an injunction to force the president to retain an agency head.”
Legal challenges have mounted against the Republican president’s directives concerning immigration, transgender rights, and government expenditures, resulting in numerous lawsuits currently pending in lower courts. Those cases could eventually reach the Supreme Court.
Over the weekend, Trump persisted in his initiatives to reduce and reshape the civilian federal workforce, which comprises 2.3 million individuals.
On Saturday evening, sources cited by CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, reported that employees in multiple health agencies currently on probation were notified via letters of their impending termination.
“The agency has determined that your qualifications, knowledge, and skills do not align with its current requirements, leading to the conclusion that your performance has not met the necessary standards for continued employment,” the letters state.
According to a report from the Reuters news agency, former President Trump has terminated at least 9,500 employees across various departments, including Health and Human Services, Energy, Veterans Affairs, Interior, and Agriculture.
The White House reports that an additional 75,000 workers have accepted a buyout to encourage voluntary departures.
A cost-cutting initiative is currently underway, spearheaded by the Department of Government Efficiency, known as Doge, under Elon Musk’s leadership.
