Dem-appointed judge blocks Trump buyout again after 65,000 deep-staters have already accepted it
The Blaze (nprofile…hfrz)
For the second time in less than a week, a federal judge has issued a restraining order against the mass buyout the Trump administration has offered to millions of federal employees.On Monday, a handful of unions made their case that the "deferred resignation" offered by the Office of Personnel Management is a veiled "ultimatum" leveled "to solicit blanket resignations of federal workers." The Trump administration countered that the buyout was necessary to "transform the federal workforce."The Trump team also claimed that further pauses in the process would have "remarkably disruptive and inequitable repercussions" on restructuring the federal government, something Trump has promised to do since he ran for office the first time in 2016.Judge George O’Toole Jr. of the U.S. District Court in Boston, appointed by Democratic President Bill Clinton, decided to extend the restraining order he first imposed against the buyout last Thursday. He said Monday the restraining order will remain in effect until he can "respond to the issues presented."'It’s one of the many tools that [Trump's] using to try to achieve the campaign promise to bring reform to the civil service and changes to DC.'The lawsuit relates to an OPM memo issued on January 28 and entitled "Fork in the Road," seemingly an homage to a memo sent by Elon Musk shortly after buying the social media platform then called Twitter. In exchange for leaving their federal post and promising to fulfill "reasonable and customary tasks and processes" associated with their exit, employees will retain all pay and benefits through the end of September. Those who accept the offer will reportedly be placed on paid administrative leave by March 1 and will be exempt from any in-person work mandates.Military personnel, employees of the U.S. Postal Service, and those in positions related to immigration enforcement and national security are not eligible for the buyout, leaving about 2.3 million federal bureaucrats who are.As the buyout deadline has been extended, more and more federal deep-staters have decided to give it a go. Early last week, only 20,000 employees had accepted it. By Thursday, that number doubled to over 40,000.By Monday, the number had crested 65,000 — over 3% of the federal workforce. While 3% is a sizable group, it is still a far cry from the 5% to 10% the Trump administration had originally hoped would accept the buyout.While many deep-staters have accepted another eight months of pay for just a few more weeks of work, others are skeptical that the offer is a "trick." Democrats and unions have warned that approved funding expires next month, so the government cannot guarantee funding that extends beyond that point. Other reports indicate that a loophole in the agreement allows the government to rescind the offer, even after it has been accepted."It’s a scam and not a buyout," Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, insisted last week, according to the AP."If it was me, I wouldn’t do it."Rachel Oglesby, chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Education and previously of the America First Policy Institute, assured doubters that the offer is no Trump "trick.""It’s exactly what it looks like. It’s one of the many tools that he’s using to try to achieve the campaign promise to bring reform to the civil service and changes to D.C."To encourage more participants, the administration warned that those who decline the offer may still be subject to layoffs or furloughs as "the majority of federal agencies are likely to be downsized through restructurings, realignments, and reductions in force."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
https://www.theblaze.com/news/dem-appointed-judge-blocks-trump-buyout-again-after-65000-deep-staters-have-already-accepted-it
For the second time in less than a week, a federal judge has issued a restraining order against the mass buyout the Trump administration has offered to millions of federal employees.On Monday, a handful of unions made their case that the "deferred resignation" offered by the Office of Personnel Management is a veiled "ultimatum" leveled "to solicit blanket resignations of federal workers." The Trump administration countered that the buyout was necessary to "transform the federal workforce."The Trump team also claimed that further pauses in the process would have "remarkably disruptive and inequitable repercussions" on restructuring the federal government, something Trump has promised to do since he ran for office the first time in 2016.Judge George O’Toole Jr. of the U.S. District Court in Boston, appointed by Democratic President Bill Clinton, decided to extend the restraining order he first imposed against the buyout last Thursday. He said Monday the restraining order will remain in effect until he can "respond to the issues presented."'It’s one of the many tools that [Trump's] using to try to achieve the campaign promise to bring reform to the civil service and changes to DC.'The lawsuit relates to an OPM memo issued on January 28 and entitled "Fork in the Road," seemingly an homage to a memo sent by Elon Musk shortly after buying the social media platform then called Twitter. In exchange for leaving their federal post and promising to fulfill "reasonable and customary tasks and processes" associated with their exit, employees will retain all pay and benefits through the end of September. Those who accept the offer will reportedly be placed on paid administrative leave by March 1 and will be exempt from any in-person work mandates.Military personnel, employees of the U.S. Postal Service, and those in positions related to immigration enforcement and national security are not eligible for the buyout, leaving about 2.3 million federal bureaucrats who are.As the buyout deadline has been extended, more and more federal deep-staters have decided to give it a go. Early last week, only 20,000 employees had accepted it. By Thursday, that number doubled to over 40,000.By Monday, the number had crested 65,000 — over 3% of the federal workforce. While 3% is a sizable group, it is still a far cry from the 5% to 10% the Trump administration had originally hoped would accept the buyout.While many deep-staters have accepted another eight months of pay for just a few more weeks of work, others are skeptical that the offer is a "trick." Democrats and unions have warned that approved funding expires next month, so the government cannot guarantee funding that extends beyond that point. Other reports indicate that a loophole in the agreement allows the government to rescind the offer, even after it has been accepted."It’s a scam and not a buyout," Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, insisted last week, according to the AP."If it was me, I wouldn’t do it."Rachel Oglesby, chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Education and previously of the America First Policy Institute, assured doubters that the offer is no Trump "trick.""It’s exactly what it looks like. It’s one of the many tools that he’s using to try to achieve the campaign promise to bring reform to the civil service and changes to D.C."To encourage more participants, the administration warned that those who decline the offer may still be subject to layoffs or furloughs as "the majority of federal agencies are likely to be downsized through restructurings, realignments, and reductions in force."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
https://www.theblaze.com/news/dem-appointed-judge-blocks-trump-buyout-again-after-65000-deep-staters-have-already-accepted-it