Late on February 10, a federal judge issued an administrative stay allowing Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger to remain in his post through Thursday as he challenges his termination by President Trump.
Dellinger oversees the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), an independent agency that protects federal employees from whistleblower retaliation and investigates whistleblower disclosures about wrongdoing in federal agencies.
Dellinger was notified of his termination late on February 7 and sued the White House, claiming that his firing was illegal. Under federal statute, the Special Counsel can be removed by the President “only for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.” The White House has not pointed to any of these issues in removing Dellinger.
Under the stay granted by Judge Amy Berman Jackson, “Hampton Dellinger shall continue to serve as the Special Counsel of the Office of Special Counsel… and the defendants may not deny him access to the resources or materials of that office or recognize the authority of any other person as Special Counsel.”
“I am grateful to have the opportunity to continue leading the Office of Special Counsel and I am resuming my work tonight,” Dellinger stated.
Whistleblower advocates widely condemned President Trump’s firing of Dellinger. According to Stephen M. Kohn, Chairman of the Board of National Whistleblower Center (NWC), “the decision to terminate the Special Counsel is irresponsible and dangerous.”
“The Office of Special Counsel is charged with investigating allegations of corruption, fraud, waste, and abuse from federal employees,” Kohn continued. “An attack on this office is an unjustifiable attack on federal employee whistleblowers and the ability of employees to report waste, fraud and abuse.”
National Whistleblower Center has launched an emergency campaign in response to the
wrongful termination of Special Counsel Dellinger. They are urging supporters to join them and to contact their Representatives and Senators immediately and express their concern on the issue.
