Federal Judge Rules Trump’s Firings of Democrats Illegal

A federal judge announced on Wednesday that President Trump’s termination of two Democrats from the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB) was unlawful, declaring the actions “null and void.”

US District Judge Reggie Walton stated that the responsibilities and changes related to the PCLOB, an entity overseeing government counterterrorism policies, were “incompatible” with the president’s authority to remove members.

The firings of Democrats Travis LeBlanc and Edward Felten were annulled, while a third Democrat was also dismissed, but she opted out of the legal proceedings as her term was almost up.

“To do otherwise would be to commend the President for what seems to be an effort to overreach constitutional boundaries and shield counterterrorism actions from necessary independent oversight and Congressional scrutiny,” Walton wrote in a detailed 71-page ruling.

These firings occurred shortly after Trump returned to the White House in January, disrupting much of the board’s function.

The board was created following the 9/11 attacks, in response to the committee report, aimed at ensuring that counterterrorism efforts balance with civil liberties protection.

This ruling allows LeBlanc and Felten to continue their service on the board until their terms conclude, unless there are changes due to the government’s pending appeal or the Supreme Court’s rules.

Many of Trump’s dismissals are under legal scrutiny, particularly concerning members of independent bodies. Most judges find such firings unlawful, urging the Department of Justice to pursue appeals.

The government is currently pursuing an emergency application in the Supreme Court to pause a summary judgment that would reinstate Democrats dismissed by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB).