Biden Asks a Judge to Toss Sean Spicer Suit Over Naval Board Spot
Biden Asks a Judge to Toss Sean Spicer Suit Over Naval Board Spot
(Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden asked a judge to throw out a lawsuit by former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer and ex-Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought over their firing from the board of the U.S. Naval Academy, which advises the commander-in-chief.
Spicer and Vought, named to the naval panel by former President Donald Trump and fired after Biden took office, have failed to explain why there should be an “unprecedented limitation” on the president’s authority to remove board members, which are non-Senate confirmed appointees, the U.S. Justice Department said Monday in a Washington federal court filing.
The men’s interpretation of the law governing the makeup of the 15-person board, which includes six members selected by the president, “would preclude removal of board members for any reason during their terms,” the U.S. said.
U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich last month denied a request by Spicer and Vought for a temporary injunction that would have forced Biden to return them to the board while the suit proceeds. The judge ruled that the men had failed to explain “how it would serve the public interest” to let them give advice to Biden that “the president does not intend to consider.”
The men sued in September after they were terminated.
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