A Trump-appointed member of the council of the Administrative Conference of the United States is suing President Biden, alleging the new administration is unlawfully trying to oust him from his post, Politico reports.
Roger Severino was appointed to the advisory board in the last days of Donald Trump’s presidency.
The Biden administration is working to weed out holdovers from the Trump administration. On Wednesday, Biden asked 10 Trump appointees to the Federal Services Impasse Panel to resign.
Severino was given an ultimatum–resign by Wednesday afternoon or be fired.
“President Biden’s attempt to remove me contrary to law exposes his lofty promises of healing and uniting all Americans as nothing more than cynical manipulation,” Severino said in a Wednesday email to Newsweek. Because I am not one to be bullied, not even by the President himself, I will not resign my duly commissioned post and look forward to seeing how President Biden tries to justify his vindictive actions in court.”
In his lawsuit filed in a Washington federal court on Wednesday, Severino argued that the council is separate from any executive power and that the president does not have the authority to fire him at will.
“The Council does not wield any executive power — indeed, it does not wield any power at all as a purely advisory entity — so President Biden has no constitutional power to terminate Mr. Severino or any other member of the Council,” the lawsuit said, according to Politico.
Trump announced his intention to appoint Severino to the advisory board in July, and Severino received his commission just over two weeks ago, the outlet reports.
