William Perry Pendley, acting director of the Bureau of Land Management, speaking at a conference last year. A federal judge has ruled that he is not eligible to continue serving in those office fees.

Matthew Brown / AP

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Matthew Brown / AP

William Perry Pendley, acting director of the Bureau of Land Management, speaking at a conference last year. A federal judge has ruled that he is not eligible to continue serving in those office fees.

Matthew Brown / AP

A federal judge in Montana has fired President Trump’s top public land official.

William Perry Pendley has continued to serve as interim head of the Bureau of Land Management since the ruling, a position he has held for more than a year.

The judge gave the verdict In response to the lawsuit It was filed by Montana Gov. Steve Block, who argued that Pendley was illegal to lead the agency because he would never have been confirmed by the Senate.

Bulllock is also a Republican senator from Montana. Steve Dines is in a tight race to unset.

U.S. A Home Department spokesman called the ruling “outrageous” and said “we will appeal this decision immediately.”

Trump appointed Pendley to lead the BLM in June. The bureau manages about one-tenth of the United States’ land and allows the development of large publicly owned energy resources, including oil and gas wells and coal mines.

After months of pressure from Democrats and some Republicans, Trump Pendley withdrew his nomination In August Gust, however, he continued to lead the agency as deputy director for programs and policy.

The pendulum has long been polarized. Before BLM came he called for the sale or transfer of federal public lands to the states. He spent most of his career as an attorney, now led by that agency.

“Today’s verdict is a victory for the Constitution, the rule of law and our public land.” The potential sale or transfer of United Nations land is also seen as accelerating its Senate campaign. The main issue for Montana voters.