In an 8-1 ruling, the Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the Trump administration could move forward with purging thousands of government employees, something that experts say bodes well for President Donald Trump as the case moves forward on its merits.
“All the rulings on the case to date have taken place on a preliminary or emergency basis, meaning it still must be argued on the merits,” wrote Eric Katz with Government Executive.
“That process will take months to play out, however, and employees will be separated in the meantime. Should the case ultimately make its way back to the high court, it has demonstrated that it sympathizes with the administration’s perspective.”
The court’s decision lifted an injunction from a California judge that temporarily blocked the Trump administration from continuing its purge of government employees, a purge spared by no federal agency. Fox News Justice correspondent David Spunt called the decision a “victory” for Trump,” and a fulfillment of the president’s promises on the campaign trail.
“The Supreme Court is giving the Trump administration a victory, some-almost six months into the president’s second term, saying that they can go forward with these reductions in forces,” Spunt said Tuesday.
“This was a campaign promise, and a promise really of this presidency to cut some of these federal agencies. Now, this administration can feel vindicated from the Supreme Court as they move forward and make some of these cuts.”
The immediate effect of the ruling will likely be thousands of government employees losing their jobs, including those who had already been placed on leave, only this time, the layoffs could be permanent.
“The decision could result in tens of thousands of job losses at HUD, State, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs,” said MSNBC Executive Producer Kyle Griffin in a social media post.
The legal battle is far from over, however. While the ruling lifts the California judge’s pause on the mass layoffs, the case, launched by those representing thousands of government employees, will continue to move forward, with attorneys representing said employees at the ready with appeals in hand.
“We have stacks of appeals ready to go, as soon as these employees are separated,” said Kevin Owen with Gilbert Employment Law, speaking with Federal News Network in late June. “And so agencies should be preparing for litigation that will be coming imminently if these injunctions are lifted.”