PEER is praising a decision yesterday by a federal judge immediately halting the Trump Administration’s illegal firing of federal workers during the shutdown.
The Trump administration’s attempt to fire thousands of federal workers during a government shutdown was both cruel and illegal. The court made clear that this administration cannot rewrite the law or weaponize the shutdown to punish the workforce that keeps our nation running.
For months, this administration has been trying to dismantle the civil service — through threats of mass reductions-in-force, the hollowing out of Inspectors General, and directives that politicize nonpartisan public service.
This ruling puts a legal stop for the moment to one of the most blatant examples yet of that abuse of power.
PEER is proudly representing federal workers on various fronts who are fighting back against unlawful attempts to undermine the integrity of government. Our work continues!
Onward,
Tim Whitehouse
Executive Director
Progress Protecting Minnesota Forests
A recent legislative audit has raised significant concerns as to whether the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has met statutory requirements to harvest timber in wildlife management areas only for the benefit of wildlife and related recreation. PEER requested the audit to address concerns raised by current and former state employees. Read More »
Conowingo Progress
In 2022, PEER filed an amicus brief on behalf of Maryland Republican and Democratic lawmakers in support of a lawsuit against the relicensing of the Conowingo Dam. The lawsuit argued that the dam was being relicensed without adequate conditions to mitigate the environmental risks to the Chesapeake Bay, the nation’s largest estuary. We are happy to report that a positive agreement has been reached as a result of that lawsuit. Read More »
Authoritarianism Webinar Follow Up
Our October 7 webinar, Environmental Protection, Public Service, and the Rise of Authoritarianism, was a huge success. Thank you to everyone who attended for being part of this important discussion. If you couldn’t attend, watch the recording to learn how we’re addressing this new reality, and don’t hesitate to reach out. Watch the video »
Shutdown Could Provide Glimpse into the Future of Public Lands
Our national parks and public lands are already on life support, writes PEER Litigation Assistant Kaylee Rodriquez. Many parks lack Superintendents, essential services have been eliminated, and the administration is promoting plans to privatize public lands and roll back existing protections. Read Kaylee’s latest commentary to learn what is happening in our national parks and why this matters. Read more »
The Supreme Court Must Stop the Slide to Authoritarian Rule
PEER Senior Counsel Peter Jenkins delves into the fate of small, bipartisan, expert administrative agencies and how the Supreme Court now appears poised to overrule almost 100 years of well-established law that allows these agencies to make decisions independently. This will have tremendous consequences for federal workers and will facilitate authoritarian rule. Read More »
