Watchdog Chief’s Tenure Extended Amid Legal Battle 

Posted by wbstadmin

United States: The U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson extended the head of the U.S. watchdog agency’s position beyond two weeks to determine Donald Trump’s authority to remove him.

A U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson issued an order late Wednesday which extends Hampton Dellinger as Office of Special Counsel leader up to February 26. Previously, Jackson gave Dellinger temporary office status after Trump removed him from his position, as reported by Reuters. 

Trump administration legal representatives challenged the court ruling.

Contested Dismissal Sparks Legal Dispute 

The judge issued a court order which stopped Trump from putting Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins in charge of the complaint investigation office dedicated to handling whistleblower complaints and government misconduct reports. 

The legal challenge belongs to a rising group of cases that seeks to limit Trump’s authority to dismiss independent agency officers while he works toward reshaping federal bureaus with increased workforce management powers. 

Ongoing Legal Battles on Presidential Power 

Dellinger filed a lawsuit on Monday because Democratic President Joe Biden selected him to the post, and the Senate confirmed his five-year appointment, yet Trump attempted to remove him for reasons not covered under U.S. laws regarding removal. 

The court’s decision to let Dellinger continue his work brought him gratitude, according to his statement. 

The Trump administration maintained that federal courts could not stop the presidential removal of executive agency leaders, as reported by Reuters. 

Court Proceedings Continue 

The courts have previously denied Trump’s attempt to proceed with dismissing Dellinger. 

A different federal judge will consider a request on Thursday to stop the presidential firing of a Democratic member of an agency responsible for federal employment dispute resolution.