PULSE POINTS
WHAT HAPPENED: A federal judge ruled President Donald J. Trump illegally fired two Democrat members of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) earlier this year.
WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan, and attorneys for both sides.
WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was issued Thursday in Washington, D.C., following the firings in March.
KEY QUOTE: “As the Court recognized today, the law is clear, and I look forward to getting back to work,” said Slaughter.
IMPACT: The decision could affect the independence of other federal agencies, including the Federal Reserve.
IN FULL
A federal judge ruled that President Donald J. Trump did not have the constitutional authority to fire two Democrat commissioners from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) earlier this year. The ruling allows Rebecca Kelly Slaughter to resume her duties as commissioner, while Alvaro Bedoya had already resigned after filing suit to challenge the dismissals. Notably, the ruling appears to run counter to a stay order issued by the United States Supreme Court in Trump v. Wilcox, which lifted another lower court’s order preventing Trump’s removal of Biden appointees to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB).
In the ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Loren AliKhan—appointed by former President Joe Biden—cited a 1935 Supreme Court decision that limited the President’s ability to remove independent agency officials without cause. AliKhan stated the ruling upholds “clearly established law” and prevents the President from exerting unchecked control over so-called independent agencies. “As the Court recognized today, the law is clear, and I look forward to getting back to work,” said Slaughter following the ruling.
The Trump administration argued that the FTC’s expanded role in modern times justified direct presidential oversight. The FTC, created by Congress, enforces consumer protections and antitrust laws. Its commissioners typically consist of three members from the President’s party and two from the opposition, serving staggered seven-year terms. The lawsuit alleges Trump dismissed Bedoya and Slaughter because their views conflicted with his administration’s priorities.
The administration has signaled it intends to appeal AliKhan’s ruling.
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The post Biden Judge Rules Trump’s Dismissal of FTC Democrats ‘Unconstitutional.’ appeared first on The National Pulse.
