Trump seeks Supreme Court decision on removing head of Office of Special Counsel

Donald Trump is seeking some major changes in the government, many of which are or will be challenged in court. 

One of those decisions is for Trump to remove the head of the Office of the Special Counsel from his position. 

Expanding Presidential Powers

Earlier this week, Donald Trump signed an executive order bringing independent agencies under the White House's purview. 

This is an effort by Trump to consolidate all power in the president's hands, and I think it's a dangerous move. 

Remember, this may help Trump, but this would still be in effect after Trump leaves office, meaning if a Democrat wins the race in 2028, a Democrat president would have the same sweeping authority. 

This is likely the brainchild of Russ Vought, who is serving as Trump’s budget chief, and of the leaders in the conservative movement to remove these independent agencies of the executive branch.

The Order

Trump’s order stated, “For the Federal Government to be truly accountable to the American people, officials who wield vast executive power must be supervised and controlled by the people’s elected President.”

The order would also more or less make attorneys for these agencies powerless, stating, “no employee of the executive branch acting in their official capacity may advance an interpretation of the law as the position of the United States that contravenes the President or the Attorney General’s opinion on a matter of law.”

If the order is successful, liaisons would be created for agencies such as the FCC, Federal Trade Commission, and the SEC to “regularly consult with and coordinate policies and priorities.”

Just remember, some of these agencies and independent authorities blocked Joe Biden from circumventing the Constitution, which is why I think Trump's decision could be a huge mistake. 

Removing Head of Special Counsel

Currently, the Office of Special Counsel is headed by Hampton Dellinger, who Joe Biden appointed. Trump wants him removed as part of this plan to consolidate power. 

Trump wanted to dismiss Dellinger, but a lower court overturned the dismissal, and Dellinger was reinstated, so now the Department of Justice is hoping to have the Supreme Court take the case to settle the issue. 

John Malcolm, vice president of the Institute for Constitutional Government at the Heritage Foundation, stated, "President Trump is certainly being aggressive in terms of flexing executive power and not at all surprised that these are being challenged.”

Again, I am a firm believer that there should always be checks and balances and that we need independent authorities to ensure there is no abuse of power. I support much of what Trump is doing right now, but I believe this particular issue could present some serious problems for the country in the long term.