(Patriot.buzz) – In a new legal obstacle for the president, Donald Trump has been slapped with a temporary restraining order by a federal judge who has reinstated Democrat Cathy A. Harris to the Merit Systems Protection Board.
See the tweet below!
The case has spotlighted ongoing conflicts between the judiciary and the Trump administration’s efforts to reshape federal agencies.
This latest legal battle emphasizes the importance of upholding statutory protections for government appointees.
Meanwhile, it challenges Trump’s broader influence over independent regulatory bodies.
On February 18, 2025, Judge Rudolph Contreras of the U.S. District Court invalidated President Trump’s attempt to remove Cathy Harris as chairwoman of the MSPB.
His ruling emphasized that the president’s actions did not meet the statutory requirements for “good cause” needed to terminate her position, signaling judicial resistance to the administration’s unilateral maneuvers.
The court echoed precedents like the Humphrey’s Executor case to support this determination.
The MSPB is crucial for resolving federal employment disputes, and its independence is safeguarded by the Civil Service Reform Act.
This act stipulates that board members can only be removed for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance.
Experts argue that Trump’s repeated attempts to remove agency heads without such cause undermine the integrity of these protections, reports The Washington Times.
The Trump administration’s justification centered on the claim that MSPB members fall under presidential removal power, arguing that current protections are unconstitutional.
Contreras temporarily barred actions that would treat Harris as removed, further ordering her to continue serving as MSPB chair.
The court’s decision leaves Harris likely to succeed in her lawsuit, which could set a precedent for similar disputes.
“Harris has established that this case represents a ‘genuinely extraordinary situation’ meriting injunctive relief for a discharged government employee,” stated Judge Rudolph Contreras.
A parallel case highlighted by the ruling involved the dismissal of Hampton Dellinger from the U.S. Office of Special Counsel.
A federal judge reinstates Cathy Harris to the Merit Systems Protection Board, impacting federal employee appeals—hear more about the case. https://t.co/R6oJbuBDRE
— GovExec (@GovExec) February 19, 2025
Similarly, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with preserving existing statutes over the administration’s approach.
However, the Justice Department is escalating these issues to the Supreme Court, seeking support for extending presidential firing powers over independent agency leaders.
Yet, legal experts contend that the president’s power should not exceed existing statutory safeguards.
The implications of these battles go beyond Harris’s role at the MSPB. They also affect broader discussions on administrative autonomy and presidential oversight.
With Harris reinstated, the MSPB once again holds a Democrat majority, potentially affecting decisions related to federal employee disputes.
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