BLM

A federal judge in Montana ruled that William Perry Pendley, the acting director of the U.S. Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM), had served illegally for more than a year and blocked him from continuing in the position.

“Pendley has served and continues to serve unlawfully…His ascent to acting BLM director did not follow any of the permissible paths set forth by the U.S. Constitution” or the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 (FVRA), U.S. District Judge Brian Morris of the District of Montana, wrote in a ruling last Friday.

Morris provided Interior officials 10 days from the order’s date to formally respond.

President Trump in June nominated Pendley for the post, which requires Senate approval. The president then withdrew the nomination after...