Press Releases

Ranking Member Raskin’s Statement on the Recommendation to Stay the Unlawful Termination of Probationary Federal Workers

Washington, February 25, 2025

Washington, D.C. (February 25, 2025)—Today, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Committee on the Judiciary, issued the following statement in response to the Office of Special Counsel’s (OSC) recommendationtostay the termination of probationary period federal employees in six agencies who filed a complaint alleging they were unlawfully fired by the Trump Administration:

“The Office of Special Counsel’s recommendation to the Merit Systems Protection Board to stay the termination of probationary federal workers unlawfully fired by the Trump Administration is a victory for the rule of law. While other cases continue to move through the process, this recommendation helps numerous public servants who were illegally removed from their positions.

“As Donald Trump and Elon Musk take a wrecking ball to the federal workforce, the courts must protect the integrity of robust independent oversight entities like the OSC and MSPB. These agencies now serve as the first line of defense for federal workers, ensuring due process and safeguarding the principles that protect against political retaliation and wrongful termination.

“It is precisely because these independent agencies provide accountability under the rule of law that Donald Trump has sought to undermine and paralyze them.

“This welcome news was made possible by brave federal workers who spoke out against the Trump Administration’s chaotic purge. I applaud their courage and the Office of Special Counsel’s determination to distinguish between a Reduction in Force and a mass illegal firing.”