Judge Blocks Admin From Firing Workers 10/16 06:03

   A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump's 
administration from firing workers during the government shutdown, saying the 
cuts appeared to be politically motivated and were being carried out without 
much thought.

   SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked 
President Donald Trump's administration from firing workers during the 
government shutdown, saying the cuts appeared to be politically motivated and 
were being carried out without much thought.

   U.S. District Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco repeatedly pressed the 
assistant U.S. attorney to explain the administration's rationale for the more 
than 4,100 layoff notices that started going out Friday even though furloughed 
workers can not access their work emails and there are no human resources 
specialists to assist with next steps.

   "It's very much ready, fire, aim on most of these programs, and it has a 
human cost," she said. "It's a human cost that cannot be tolerated."

   She granted a temporary restraining order blocking the job cuts, saying she 
believed the evidence would ultimately show the cuts were illegal and in excess 
of authority.

   Asked for comment, the White House referred The Associated Press to the 
Office of Management and Budget. The budget office did not immediately respond 
to a request for comment.

   The American Federation of Government Employees and other federal labor 
unions had asked Illston to block the administration from issuing new layoff 
notices and implementing those that were already sent out. The unions said the 
firings were an abuse of power designed to punish workers and pressure Congress.

   "The president seems to think his government shutdown is distracting people 
from the harmful and lawlessness actions of his administration, but the 
American people are holding him accountable, including in the courts," said 
Skye Perryman, president and CEO of legal organization Democracy Forward. "Our 
civil servants do the work of the people, and playing games with their 
livelihoods is cruel and unlawful and a threat to everyone in our nation."

   Illston's order came as the shutdown, which started Oct. 1, entered its 
third week.

   Democratic lawmakers are demanding that any deal to reopen the federal 
government address their health care demands. Republican House Speaker Mike 
Johnson predicted the shutdown may become the longest in history, saying he 
"won't negotiate" with Democrats until they hit pause on those demands and 
reopen.

   Democrats have demanded that health care subsidies, first put in place in 
2021 and extended a year later, be extended again. They also want any 
government funding bill to reverse the Medicaid cuts in Trump's big tax breaks 
and spending cuts bill passed this summer.

   The Trump administration has been paying the military and pursuing its 
crackdown on immigration while slashing jobs in health and education, including 
in special education and after-school programs. Trump said programs favored by 
Democrats are being targeted and "they're never going to come back, in many 
cases."

   In a court filing, the administration said it planned to fire more than 
4,100 employees across eight agencies.

   In a related case, Illston had blocked the administration from carrying out 
much of its plans to reduce the size of the federal workforce. But the Supreme 
Court said the administration could continue firing workers while the lawsuit 
is pending.

   The unions say the layoff notices are an illegal attempt at political 
pressure and retribution and are based on the false premise that a temporary 
funding lapse eliminates Congress' authorization of agency programs.

   Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Hedges said in court Wednesday that the 
district court lacks jurisdiction to hear employment decisions made by federal 
agencies. Under prodding by the judge, Hedges said she was not prepared to 
discuss the merits of the case, only reasons why a temporary restraining order 
should not be issued.

   Illston was nominated to the bench by former President Bill Clinton, a 
Democrat.