Why Biden Fired Trump’s Appointee to a Key Civil Rights Job

In his latest attempt to prevent the remnants of the Trump administration from choking his own agenda, President Joe Biden fired Sharon Gustafson, general counsel of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, on Friday. Biden had previously requested Gustafson’s resignation, but she refused to step down. Instead, she accused the president of targeting her because of her support for religious liberty. Republicans have rallied behind Gustafson, echoing her accusation that Biden violated norms in a malicious or even discriminatory manner.

This narrative is curious for several reasons: First, by tradition, the...