Judge Declares Doge Company's Terminations Disingenuous; Instantly Orders Immediate Rehiring of Thousands of Employees
Elon Musk's DOGE agenda just took a significant hit from a federal judge. Judge William Alsup of San Francisco accused the government of conducting illegal expulsions of tens of thousands of federal probationary workers, labeling the initiative a "sham." In a stunning ruling, Alsup ordered that the workers be reinstated immediately.
Here's the rundown: Probationary workers, or newcomers in the federal workforce without advanced benefits and protections, have faced massive cuts across various government departments under DOGE and the Trump administration's bid to drastically reduce the federal workforce. This case before Alsup involves union groups representing these workers.
The reinstatement order applies to thousands of federal workers fired from the Defense Department, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Energy, the Treasury Department, and the Department of the Interior. An estimated 24,000 employees could regain their jobs thanks to the judge’s decision, according to Government Executive.
The judge determined that the government's expulsion of the employees was illegitimate because the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) directed the agencies to do so. However, the OPM does not have the authority to issue such orders, as they can only be made by the agencies themselves, Alsup concluded.
Many of the cuts took place shortly after Musk's DOGE initiative was announced and a team of Musk-linked workers took over the OPM. This team, which included numerous current and former Musk employees, allegedly ordered career civil servants out of the computer systems at the agency and were involved in undisclosed work affecting these systems.
On February 14, Reuters reported that the Trump administration had begun firing "scores" of government employees, most of whom were still on probation. The OPM at the time defended the moves as encouraging agencies to use the probationary period as intended—not an entitlement for permanent employment.
However, things took a turn when Charles Ezell, the acting director of the OPM, refused a court order to testify about his role in the firings. Alsup expressed frustration over this, claiming that the government had attempted to mislead him and obstruct justice.
In his ruling, Alsup didn't mince words, calling out the Trump administration's conduct. "It is sad, a sad day," Alsup said. "Our government would fire some good employee, and say it was based on performance. When they know good and well, that's a lie." He further dissuaded the government from trying to paint him as a leftist radical, asserting that the government must comply with laws and constitution while working on its agenda.
The judge also ordered discovery and deposition in the case to increase transparency about the government's activities. Alsup, a Clinton appointee, made it clear that he was committed to uncovering the truth and ensuring justice was served.
- Despite the future DOGE agenda advocated by Elon Musk, Judge William Alsup's ruling on Friday significantly challenges this initiative, as he ordered the immediate reinstatement of thousands of federal workers who were fired from various departments.
- The reinstated federal workers were previously cut from departments such as the Defense Department, the Treasury Department, and the Department of Energy, among others, due to the Trump administration's bid to reduce the federal workforce.
- The judge's decision to order discovery and deposition in the case aims to increase transparency, as he seeks to uncover the truth about the government's activities regarding the tech-related decisions made during this period.
- In a strongly worded ruling, Judge Alsup criticized the Trump administration, labeling their conduct as illegal and obstructive, and emphasized the need for lawmakers to uphold the constitution and laws while working on their respective agendas in the future.
