EXCLUSIVE — The Department of Housing and Urban Development took the first step to fire a HUD lawyer who publicly expressed concern that HUD is no longer enforcing the Fair Housing Act, with the department disputing his claims to be a whistleblower.

HUD has initiated a termination process against HUD Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity lawyer Paul Osadebe after he spoke with the New York Times last week and criticized HUD for preventing him and his colleagues from investigating and prosecuting landlords, real estate agents, and lenders over allegations of discrimination regarding housing.

Recommended Stories

• Jared Kushner's Middle East ties showcased in Trump's second term despite lacking title
• WATCH LIVE: Netanyahu meets with Trump at the White House
• Trump threatens 100% tariffs on movies made on foreign soil

Osadebe was told on Monday that it was his last day with HUD, pending review and appeal proceedings.

Another HUD lawyer mentioned in the New York Times, Palmer Heenan, is facing separate measures as a probationary employee, while a third lawyer has since quit the department.

Osadebe and Heenan were previously told by HUD that they were going to be reassigned from the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity and filed a lawsuit last week against the department, alleging they had been “unlawfully targeted by HUD leadership and forced to leave” their positions in the office “against their will.”

“HUD does not comment on individual personnel actions, but all employees are expected to follow federal regulations, and departmental policies and procedures. HUD employees are expected to execute the mission of the agency,” a spokeswoman told the Washington Examiner.

HUD spokeswoman Kasey Lovett downplayed Osadebe and Heenan’s accusations at the time, contending the department “is using its authority to uphold the law, protect the vulnerable, and ensure meaningful access to housing.”

Whistleblower protections provided to federal government employees are complicated, according to Freedom Forum’s Kevin Goldberg.

“The rule there is basically if I work for government and I’m speaking on something outside of my job duties, the official course of my job, I am allowed to speak as long as a) I’m speaking on a matter of public concern and b) it’s not causing disruption in the workplace,” he said. “The government bears the burden of justifying why the restriction is needed.”

At the same time, Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, for example, prohibits “the improper use of nonpublic information” to further a federal employee’s “own private interests or those of another, whether through advice or recommendation, or by knowing unauthorized disclosure.”

COMEY INDICTMENT CARRIES MIDTERM ELECTION RISKS FOR TRUMP, POLITICAL EXPERTS SAY

Federal regulations also interact with HUD guidance that directs HUD employees’ correspondence with the news media to be approved by HUD’s Office of Public Affairs.

Osadebe and Heenan did not respond to a request for comment through their union, American Federation of Government Employees Local 476.