OAN Staff James Meyers
1:09 PM – Monday, February 17, 2025
The Trump administration has made their first appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to try to oust the head of a whistleblower protection agency, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden.
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In an emergency appeal, Justice Department (DOJ) lawyers asked the Supreme Court to lift a federal judge’s order temporarily blocking counsel Hampton Dellinger from being hired.
“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,” writes acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris.
This comes after the 47th president has fired over a dozen inspectors general at multiple federal agencies and fired thousands of employees across the federal workforce.
Dellinger, who was nominated by Biden, sued the Trump administration after being fired via email in January.
The Counselman worked as a partner at the same law firm as the ex-president’s controversial son Hunter.
The appeals court had originally declined on procedural grounds to lift the order that was first brought on by D.C. District Senior Judge Amy Berman Jackson, which expires February 26th.
Dellinger in his suit pointed to layoffs of federal workers to claim that his work was “needed now more than ever.”
Meanwhile, the special counsel’s term, which is set to expire in 2029, filed a lawsuit against Trump and other administration officials for being fired without proper cause and a February 7th email from the Trump administration.
“On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as Special Counsel of the US Office of Special Counsel is terminated, effective immediately. Thank you for your service,” wrote Sergio Gor, the director of the White House presidential personnel office.
In February 2024, Democrats confirmed Dellinger to lead the special counsel’s office in a party-line vote.
The SCOTUS will be able to respond to the filing as early as Tuesday, due to the Presidents Day holiday on Monday.
The Supreme Court may have more cases to deal with in the near future after the Trump administration has made several executive orders on immigration, transgenders and government spending that have been held up in the lower courts.
Much of the idea of cuts has been led by tech billionaire Elon Musk and his dozens of Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffers, who have been in charge of cutting down the federal workforce and its wasteful spending.
Additionally, workers in multiple health agencies were given letters on Saturday evening letting them know they have been terminated from their positions.
“Unfortunately, the agency finds that you are not fit for continued employment because your ability, knowledge and skills do not fit the agency’s current needs, and your performance has not been adequate to justify further employment at the agency,” read the letters.
Democrats have said Musk’s actions while running DOGE are a “hostile takeover,” according to Democrat Senate leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
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