Sotomayor breaks with Jackson in Supreme Court decision over Trump cuts to federal workforce

Justice Jackson stands alone in opposition as liberal colleague Sotomayor defends language in president's efficiency executive order

Ashley Oliver / Fox News 

 

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s dissent in a Supreme Court order handed down on Tuesday stood out enough that it prompted one of her liberal colleagues to voice disagreement with her.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, said in a brief concurrence that the high court’s 8-1 order clearing the way for President Donald Trump to continue downsizing the government was the right decision.

"I agree with Justice Jackson that the President cannot restructure federal agencies in a manner inconsistent with congressional mandates," Sotomayor wrote. "Here, however, the relevant Executive Order directs agencies to plan reorganizations and reductions in force ‘consistent with applicable law’ … and the resulting joint memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget and Office of Personnel Management reiterates as much."

Sotomayor’s remarks were included as part of a short two-page order from the Supreme Court saying the executive order Trump signed in...Read more and see video here.