Devan Cole, CNN reports a Federal Judge has ruled President Donald Trump’s firing of the former Chairwoman of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) was an “illegal act,” overturning her ousting in a decision that was highly critical of Trump’s “intent on pushing the bounds of his office.” The ruling from U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell represents the third time in less than a week that a Federal Judge in Washington, D.C. has ruled unlawful Trump’s firing of officials who head independent agencies. In a scathing ruling, Howell called Trump’s attempt earlier this year to fire Gwynne Wilcox, who had been serving as Chair of the NLRB, “a blatant violation of the law … The President’s excuse for his illegal act cannot be sustained.” Howell’s order reinstates Wilcox as a Board Member, but Trump’s pick to chair the NLRB, Marvin Kaplan, will remain in charge. The Justice Department is appealing the ruling. “The President seems intent on pushing the bounds of his office and exercising his power in a manner violative of clear statutory law to test how much the courts will accept the notion of a Presidency that is supreme,” Howell, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, wrote in her 36-page opinion. “An American President is not a king - not even an ‘elected’ one - and his power to remove Federal Officers and honest Civil Servants like plaintiff is not absolute, but may be constrained in appropriate circumstances, as are present here,” she added.

National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler issued the following statement in response: “We commend the Court’s decision to uphold the integrity and independence of the NLRB, an agency that upholds Workers’ freedom to form a Union. More than a month after Trump effectively shut down the NLRB by illegally firing Gwynne Wilcox, denying it the quorum it needs to hold Union-Busters accountable, the Court ordered Wilcox immediately returned to her seat, allowing the NLRB to get back to its essential work. The court also sent an important message that a President cannot undermine an independent agency by simply removing a Member of the Board because he disagrees with her decisions. Working People around the country count on equal justice and fair decision-making from an independent NLRB - and because of Wilcox’s commitment to the mission of the NLRB and her refusal to stand by as Trump illegally removed her from the Board, the NLRB can get back to work.”

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: Trump unlawfully fired National Labor Relations Board member, federal judge rules, permitting her to stay on the job