By Mike Spector

NEW YORK (Reuters) -A federal judge on Wednesday declined to reinstate eight inspectors general despite finding U.S. President Donald Trump unlawfully fired them by failing to notify Congress and justify their removals.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes in Washington found that Trump violated a Watergate-era federal law when dismissing the agency watchdogs without providing Congress with a required 30-day notice and rationale for the terminations. The inspectors general also advanced “compelling arguments” that they should be reinstated, the judge said.

But Reyes ruled that the inspectors general had not suffered the necessary irreparable harm requiring they be reinstated. She also noted that even if she did reinstate them, Trump could still lawfully remove them after 30 day

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