Trump court cases

NBC News -  A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from terminating federal grants and contracts related to diversity, equity and inclusion as called for in executive orders signed by President Donald Trump.  The ruling bars the administration from requiring federal contractors and grant recipients to certify that they do not engage in any “equity-related” programs, a term the judge found too vague to be enforced. It also prohibits the Justice Department from bringing any enforcement actions against contractors and grant recipients that have such programs.

NBC News - The Supreme Court for now prevented President Donald Trump from firing the head of a watchdog agency in the first legal showdown to reach the justices over the administration’s efforts to dramatically remake the federal government.  In an unusual move, the court neither granted nor denied an emergency request filed by the Trump administration after lower courts had blocked the effort to fire Hampton Dellinger, who heads the Office of Special Counsel. Instead, the court said it would not immediately act because lower court proceedings are moving quickly. A hearing is scheduled for Feb. 26, and the court could act at a later stage. 

NPR - The Supreme Court on Friday kicked the proverbial can down the road regarding the Trump administration's ability to fire the head of a key federal agency. The court said it would not interfere with a lower court decision, which temporarily blocked the firing, until Feb. 26, which is when the lower court's ruling is set to expire. Because of the short timing, the high court said it would hold the matter in abeyance, or suspension, for now.

Washington Times - A federal judge lifted his order that had blocked President Trump from carrying out a mass shakeup at the U.S. Agency for International Development.  Judge Carl Nichols on Friday said his court has no jurisdiction to rule on Mr. Trump’s order putting most UDAID workers on administrative leave.

Employees must challenge those moves through the standard federal process for disputing personnel decisions such as the Federal Labor Relations Authority, he said.  More

Judge Nichols also said much of the early speculation about Mr. Trump’s move hasn’t panned out. Fears of employees and their families being ripped away from foreign locations in the middle of kids’ school years or personal medical situations are unfounded, based on what is now known. And while employees fear forced administrative leave is a precursor to them losing their jobs, the judge said that is speculation right now. More