DOJ lawyers decline to let OMP's acting director testify about mass firings

ABC ^ | March 11, 2025

[BlackFemaleArmyColonel]

The Trump administration could be sanctioned by a federal judge later this week after lawyers with the Department of Justice advised a federal judge Tuesday evening that they will not make a top administration official available for sworn testimony.

U.S. District Judge Charles Alsup had sought to have the acting head of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Charles Ezell, testify on Thursday about the mass firing of probationary employees.

But the DOJ said Tuesday that they would not make Ezell available for testimony.

By making Ezell unavailable, DOJ attorneys also withdrew his sworn affidavit, a move that Judge Charles Alsup suggested would heavily increase the odds that the Trump administration loses the case, which involves the legality of firing thousands of probationary employees.

"Live testimony of Mr. Ezell is also not necessary, as a factual matter, because existing documentary evidence and briefing demonstrates that OPM is not directing agencies to terminate probationary employees," DOJ lawyers argued.

A group of federal unions has alleged that Ezell lied in a sworn declaration that his office did not order the firing of probationary employees based on "performance or misconduct," prompting Judge Alsup to order Ezell to testify in person and under oath in San Francisco on Thursday.

The Trump administration attempted to push back on the order -- arguing in a filing Monday that the testimony raises "fundamental constitutional concerns."

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TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: altpresidentjudge; bilgeclintonjudge; charlesalsup; charlesezell; clintonjudge; clintonstooge; doj; enemieslist; enemyjudge; judgewatch; judicialsedition; ndcalifornia; newsupremecourt; omp; rapinbilljudge; rapinbillstooge; seniormomentjudge; thenewsupremecourt; voicevote; williamalsup

[Texas Fossil]

Bla Bla Bla

[UCANSEE2]

Arrest and confine in jail these DOJ lawyers for contempt of court. If not, then Judges ORDERS mean nothing and the Executive Branch and the DOGE can ignore any Judges orders that conflict with their assignment.

[SoConPubbie]

Arrest and confine in jail these DOJ lawyers for contempt of court. If not, then Judges ORDERS mean nothing and the Executive Branch and the DOGE can ignore any Judges orders that conflict with their assignment.

Whose side are you on???

[SoConPubbie]

Arrest and confine in jail these DOJ lawyers for contempt of court. If not, then Judges ORDERS mean nothing and the Executive Branch and the DOGE can ignore any Judges orders that conflict with their assignment.

BTW, just because a Judge tells somebody to do something doesn't make them either right or constitutional in that order.

[thegagline]

BTW, just because a Judge tells somebody to do something doesn't make them either right or constitutional in that order.

While technically that is correct, in practice open defiance of the judge’s orders can quickly lead to being held in contempt. The DOJ lawyers better be knocking out a Writ of Prohibition asap.

[FlingWingFlyer]

In today’s Amerika, being sanctioned by DemonRAT Feral “judges” is an honor. One thing I can say good about Joe Pedo was that when one of them gave an order he didn’t agree with, he just told them to bug off and take a flying leap at a rolling donut.

[dennisw]

This is all taking place in crumbling San Fran Sicko. This is a local Federal judge.