The Clinton-era appointed judge barred the Trump administration from terminating federal employees during the government shutdown.
By Catholics for Catholics
In a blow to the Trump administration, a San Francisco federal judge in San Francisco for an indefinite period forbade the Trump administration from terminating federal employees during the government shutdown, saying that labor unions were likely to prevail on their claims that the cuts were arbitrary and politically driven.
Clinton appointee Susan Illston, a U.S. District Judge, conceded a preliminary injunction that prohibits the firings while a lawsuit challenging them plays out. She had issued a temporary restraining order against the job cuts that were set to expire Wednesday, according to Newsmax.
Illston said she believes the evidence will at last show the mass firings were illegal and in excess of authority.
The Trump administration has cut jobs in health and education and other areas it says are preferred by Democrats. The administration has also said it will not tap roughly $5 billion in contingency funds to keep benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly referred to as SNAP, flowing into November.
But the American Federation of Government Employees and other labor unions have sued to stop the “reductions in force” layoffs, saying the firings were an abuse of power intended to castigate workers and pressure Congress.
By contrast, attorneys for the government said the district court does not have the authority to hear personnel challenges, and that Trump has broad mandate to shorten the federal workforce as he pledged to do during the campaign.
“The president was elected on this specific platform,” said assistant U.S. attorney Michael Velchik. “The American people selected someone known above all else for his eloquence in communicating to employees that you’re fired, this is what they voted for.”
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