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Julie Kelly's avatar

A few hours after I posted this column, Hampton Dellinger dropped his case against the Trump administration while taking a shot at the president. He knew he would lose at the appellate court and if by luck they didn't, SCOTUS would.

https://apnews.com/article/trump-whistleblower-agency-special-counsel-258181811b80c46621a17216dfedc805

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Jo Standifer's avatar

WINNING ! 😊

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Marilyn F's avatar

Dropping his case doesn’t reverse his reinstatement of federal employees. Does it?

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A. Jeannette's avatar

Twit don't get no hep, cuz' he's a twit...duh!

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J Abely's avatar

The solution is a congressional act. The Special Counsel’s term should align with the President’s. No President should have to contend with a hostile agency head that can interfere with personnel decisions and conduct harassing investigations .

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task's avatar

The solution is the application of the Constitution. I see no Amendment allowing the legislature to water down the concept of Separation of Powers. The legislature has no business writing statutes to limit the Executive's role as already stated in Article II. The place and time to have done that was in Philadelphia during the month of September in 1787.

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Lisa Brown's avatar

Very well said Julie.

Judicial tyranny must not be allowed to rule.....or why have a US President?

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RSgva's avatar

I don’t understand his office very well. I thought claims to the merit system protection board need to be made on an individual basis by the individual affected by the personnel decision. Having worked in the federal government I don’t remember that board being useful in the slightest with its various standing and jurisdictional requirements. I’m shocked that it has teeth like this. Where was this board when whistleblowers needed protection for example?

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Taming the Wolf Institute's avatar

During the Obama years the protection of whistleblowers was greatly diminished. This occurred specifically in this office, the Office of Special Counsel. I was up for a job in that department, mediating with whistleblowers. The techniques of mediation can be quite powerful and would have done much to assist whistleblowers. However, the response I received was you are the highest qualified but we are not going to hire you. Such was the Obama modus operandi. Over the following years, the office was greatly neutered and politicized. They want to keep this Biden yahoo in the position as he can monitor any whistleblowers, thus making it difficult to clean up past malfeasance and locate current internal opposition. It is a critical position... and the Supremes should be properly informed and encouraged to act.

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RSgva's avatar

Wow, very grateful for your sharing this valuable set of insights based on personal experience. During that period, information about whistleblower protection had to be posted at every copier machine in my building, and we had to take an extensive course on the Act every year. So typical that, despite the importance of that law to the Congress, the Biden administration basically blew it off.

It would be very helpful for the Trump administration to improve and guarantee access to the merit system protection board for unwarranted demotions/favoritism for the wrong reasons. The process was very obscure. Maybe even invite public comment on how to improve it.

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Rev. Karlan Fairchild, MDiv's avatar

Your piece was precisely accurate regarding/pertaining to the ongoing damage to the Constitution promulgated by Marxists-Wearing-Black-Robes inside Moscow-on-the-Potomac. And, Julie, I believe I accurately predicted what would happen once the squishy Chief Justice and the nominally Conservative female Justice had an opportunity to "stand-up" for these ridiculous lower tier District Judges and their astonishingly unconstitutional decisions restricting the Article 2 authority given to President Donald J. Trump. It's a "fool's errand" to depend upon the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) making rational decisions pertaining to President Trump. Although it goes against my grain to suggest perhaps that the best option available to President Trump is to ignore the court decisions, regardless of whether they originate in the lower tier or, even, at SCOTUS, and adopt the policy of President Andrew Jackson when he famously told Chief Justice Marshall that he could rule whatever he wanted but would then have to enforce it. The only way to eliminate these impediments to President Trump's agenda/mandate is to vigorously oppose them.

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Taming the Wolf Institute's avatar

Yes. But with the Trump wit and negotiation skill, I believe they can put a spotlight on the Supremes, such that Roberts and Barrett get back in line. They just need a moment to bring together all the Trump legal teams and prepare a strategy.

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JOHN R PENCE's avatar

The SC must get this settled once and for all. There is one chief executive, the President, and it is his power and his alone to fire any person working in the executive branch. Period. End of story. There can be no other finding.

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Carolyn's avatar

My understanding of the constitution is that judicial issues OPINIONS only..they do not make laws. So I say ignore their opinion as the opinion of the American people disagrees. These people are pd by us therefore they work for us. Have they never read the constitution. Opinions are only that. Judges cannot make laws from the bench. They cannot change the duties of each branch of government as established by the constitution. In the past they have been allowed to get away with this malarkey but their is a new sheriff in town and not only is it Trump but also the American people and we are BEYOND tired of this!

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Carolyn's avatar

So what can we do to get these judges removed? I think if I remember my civics class that congress has the power. So how do we get them to do their jobs?

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Michael Smith's avatar

Call the locksmith, quick!

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Brenda Jo's avatar

We don’t need to write more laws! We are living with ignorant disturbed people. Need to keep praying for justice. God is good! Follow the laws as we are asked to follow God’s laws.

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Jo Standifer's avatar

AMEN !

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James Bryson's avatar

Let’s say together, real fast, ten times…

Chief Executive of the United States of America.

Chief Executive of the United States of America.

Chief Executive of the United States of America.

Chief Executive of the United States of America.

...

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Beverly's avatar

I’m so very tired of these activist judges interfering with our President. We elected him to CLEAN HOUSE and they are doing their best to handcuff him. This MUST stop.

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Taming the Wolf Institute's avatar

Seems that White House Counsel and AG Bondi need to take a breath and arrive at a strategy and an argument that lights a fire under the Supremes. Not sure if the House, by opening impeachment hearings, can shake loose the system of rogue judges in D.C. Perhaps. Maybe a very public look at these individuals, or the promise of such, will cause the Supremes to step in and restore the separation of powers. Yes, a Congressional Act makes sense... but that will take time. It seems, however, that the threat of exposure and the resulting embarrassment might move the ball.

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Cranky Frankie's avatar

The Left will regret bringing these appeals since the decisions will likely further affirm the breadth of the Executive authority in Article II.

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A. Jeannette's avatar

Whell...he's a bold little twit...but a twit nonetheless. If he's supposed to be some kind of special counsel whatnot, where does he get the authority to rehire proby's when by definition their probation is so very not even close to being secured. They could be let go simply because they looked sideways at the bosses dog.

If I was one of his rubber chicken "re-hires", I'd be pissed off when I get fired "for reals" the next time, which is likely to happen shortly! I guess it's just not so cut and dried safe to work for the government anymore.

AND, if they are still actually working, they had better get up early, take a shower, eat something decent, get dressed and drive their jalopy to work AND THEN DO THE ACTUAL WORK...no more of that remote BS... do the work.

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Susan Randall's avatar

Office of Special Counsel…please dispose of this office immediately. It could not possibly be very important. Just get rid of this office. And I am opposed to sending any money out of AMERICA. Nothing else to Ukraine…not one penny. And that usaid is a joke because it is just a slush fund for Congress and you know who you are. Shame on you. GOD KNOWS WHO YOU ARE AND HE WILL COME FOR YOU AND YOU WILL BE PUNISHED. AND THE SUPREME COURT MADE A BIG MISTAKE BY VOTING TO SEND THE TWO BILLION AS AID. HOW DUMB ARE YOU. IT JUST ENDS UP IN SOME RICH GUYS POCKET.

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