President Donald Trump and Hampton Dellinger. Trump is trying to dismiss Dellinger, the head of the Office of Special Counsel. (AP; Reuters)
Liberal justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson voted to outright deny the administration’s request to OK the firing.
Conservative justices Neil Gorsuch and Samuel Alito dissented, saying the lower court overstepped, and they cast doubt on whether courts have the authority to restore to office someone the president has fired. While acknowledging that some officials appointed by the president have contested their removal, Gorsuch wrote in his opinion that "those officials have generally sought remedies like backpay, not injunctive relief like reinstatement."
The dispute over Dellinger is the first legal challenge to reach the Supreme Court after several firings under the Trump administration.
HOUSE DEMS ORGANIZE RAPID RESPONSE TASK FORCE AND LITIGATION GROUP TO COMBAT TRUMP AGENDA
The Trump administration dismissed multiple federal officials (Donald Trump/Truth Social)
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Since Jan. 20, dozens of lawsuits have been filed over the administration's actions, including the president's birthright citizenship order, immigration policies, federal funding freezes, federal employee buyouts, Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency and legal action against FBI and DOJ employees.
Louis Casiano is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to louis.casiano@fox.com.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/supreme-court-pauses-trump-effort-fire-head-whistleblower-protection-agency