Appeals court hears arguments over Trump's bid to fire 2 board members
Source: AP
Updated 2:09 PM EDT, March 18, 2025
WASHINGTON (AP) A Justice Department attorney on Tuesday urged an appeals court to suspend judicial orders favoring two board members who were fired by President Donald Trump from their respective posts in the federal government.
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit didnt immediately rule after hearing attorneys arguments.
On March 4, U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras ruled that Trump illegally tried to fire Merit Systems Protection Board member Cathy Harris. Two days later, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ruled that Trump did not have the authority to remove Gwynne Wilcox from the National Labor Relations Board.
The Trump administration is seeking a stay of those orders while they appeal the decisions. The appellate court will hear arguments on the merits of the governments appeal on a date to be determined. Government attorneys argue that the judges rulings undermine Trumps ability to lawfully exercise his executive authority. They are agency heads who answer to no one but the president, said Justice Department attorney Eric McArthur.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/trump-gwynne-wilcox-cathy-harris-be55fdf289cd07666fad9306a19272d8