Hampton Dellinger, the chief of the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), has decided to withdraw his lawsuit challenging his dismissal by former President Donald Trump. Appointed by President Joe Biden, Dellinger played a critical role in opposing the Trump administration's efforts to terminate probationary employees within the government. His departure from the OSC, an agency tasked with safeguarding federal whistleblowers and investigating misconduct, marks a significant shift in leadership.
The OSC is a federal agency responsible for protecting federal employees who act as whistleblowers. It identifies and flags issues of waste, fraud, and abuse within the U.S. government. As chief, Dellinger focused on protecting federal employees reporting wrongdoing, a role that became contentious during the Trump administration's attempts to fire probationary government employees.
Dellinger was removed from his position last month by former President Trump. In response, he filed a lawsuit challenging his dismissal. However, a recent ruling by a three-judge panel of the federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., determined that he could be removed from his post while the legal proceedings continued.
"I'm stopping the fight because, yesterday, circuit court judges reviewing the trial court decision in my favor granted the government's request that I be removed from office while the case continues," – Hampton Dellinger
The decision to drop the lawsuit was not taken lightly. Dellinger acknowledged that pursuing the case further could take an extended period of time and expressed concern that this delay would leave the OSC under leadership closely aligned with presidential interests.
"This new ruling means that OSC will be run by someone totally beholden to the President for the months that would pass before I could get a final decision from the U.S. Supreme Court," – Hampton Dellinger
The OSC holds significant authority to investigate and act against government employees engaged in misconduct. It serves as a vital entity within the federal system, ensuring accountability and transparency. Dellinger's role in this agency emphasized the protection of employees who bring governmental wrongdoings to light.