Trump dismisses a third of the Federal Employee Appeals Board staff
In a move that has raised ethics concerns, President Trump has taken unprecedented steps to reshape the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), an entity designed to protect federal employees.
The MSPB, composed of presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed individuals serving seven-year terms, can only be disbanded for 'inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance in office.' Most federal employees have statutorily protected rights to appeal various adverse actions to the MSPB.
Tom Devine, legal director at the Government Accountability Project, stated that Cathy Harris' firing from the MSPB marked another assault on the civil service. The White House terminated Harris' position on Feb. 11, and also removed Democratic Vice Chair Ray Limon from the MSPB.
With Limon and current acting chair Henry Kerner, a Republican, still in place, the MSPB will maintain its quorum. However, President Trump can now nominate a third member to the MSPB. He has nominated Paul Dans from Michigan, who is expected to support efforts by Trump and Elon Musk to reshape and downsize the federal workforce.
The MSPB shakeup occurs as the Trump administration is taking unprecedented actions to remove federal workers and potentially close agencies. This has led to concerns about the administration's commitment to the civil service and the independence of federal agencies.
The article is also related to Elon Musk's role as a 'special government employee' and the ethics questions it raises. Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been appointed as a special advisor to the President on infrastructure, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest and the influence of private industry on government decisions.
Bill Spencer, MSPB's executive director, has stated that the agency has no further comment on the firing at this time. President Trump has also removed Hampton Dellinger from the Office of Special Counsel and David Huitema from the Office of Government Ethics recently, further fueling concerns about the administration's approach to ethics and accountability.
He further stated that undermining the MSPB's ability to function through unjust firings doesn't prevent waste and fraud, but rather it is waste and fraud itself. The story has been updated with additional comment.
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