U.S. District Judge William Alsup ruled that the Trump administration must reinstate tens of thousands of probationary federal employees, calling their mass firings “unlawful” and a “sham.”

Alsup criticized the Department of Justice, accusing them of withholding key testimony and stonewalling efforts to uncover the truth.

The judge ordered a senior adviser from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to be deposed to clarify the situation, Mediaite has reported.

While Alsup expects the ruling to be appealed, he emphasized his commitment to uncovering the truth behind the firings.

Written by B.C. Begley