Federal Judge Rules President Trump Violated Law in Firing Inspectors General

A federal judge ruled that President Trump violated the law when he fired a number of agency inspectors general at the beginning of his second term.

However, Judge Ana Reyes of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia said the eight former IGs who brought the case before the court, cannot be reinstated, because they failed to prove "irreparable harm.”

The eight IGs were among 17 who were sacked by the president shortly after taking office. They filed suit seeking their jobs back.

In her ruling, Judge Reyes said it was “obvious” that President Trump violated the 1978 Inspector General Act with the firings because he did not provide Congress with a 30-day notice of the dismissals or a valid reason for the removal of the Senate-confirmed inspectors general.

And she wrote that “Plaintiffs raise compelling arguments that the violation must be remedied through reinstatement to their positions.” 

However, Judge Reyes denied that request, saying that “under well-established case law that this Court is bound to follow, Plaintiffs must show irreparable harm. And they cannot. 

The judge also pointed out that should they be reinstated, President Trump could simply fire them again after giving Congress 30 days’ notice and providing a “substantive rationale” for the firing. She also noted that the Senate has already confirmed some of their successors which would add an additional challenge to reinstatement.  

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit were former IGs at the Departments of Health and Human Services, Defense, Veterans Affairs, State, Energy, Labor, and Agriculture, as well as the Small Business Administration.