July 11th, 2018
Contact: Linda Benesch, lbenesc
Trump’s ALJ Executive Order is the Latest Attack on Our Earned Social Security Benefits
(Washington, DC) — The following is a statement from Nancy Altman, President of Social Security Works, in reaction to Donald Trump’s executive order stripping Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) of their independence:
“There’s an ongoing war on Social Security and people with disabilities. Trump’s attack on ALJs is the latest battle in this war. ALJs already feel political pressure to deny Social Security disability claims. This will only ratchet up that pressure.
Stripping ALJs of their independence by giving political appointees the power to hire and fire them arbitrarily denies all of us our due process. Workers earn their disability benefits with every paycheck. Republicans are taking yet another step to deny some of the most vulnerable people in the country the benefits they’ve earned.
ALJs are hardworking civil servants who are doing their best. Letting the Trump administration threaten their livelihood when they act with integrity is something we must all protest.”