President Trump dismissed two Democratic members of the Federal Trade Commission, Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya, potentially undermining the agency's independence. This action follows a pattern of the Trump administration asserting presidential authority over regulators. The F.T.C. is typically composed of five members, balancing political representation, but this dismissal raises questions about legal statutes and precedents protecting commission members. Slaughter claimed her firing was a direct result of political motivations and fear concerning her public voice. This move may lead to legal challenges as critics argue it disrupts established norms.
"Today the president illegally fired me from my position as a federal trade commissioner, violating the plain language of a statute and clear Supreme Court precedent," Ms. Slaughter said.
"Mr. Trump's maneuver is his latest attempt to assert the power of the presidency over independent regulators at agencies inside the U.S. government."
"The White House told the Democrats, Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya, that the president was terminating their roles."
"...the Trump administration has disregarded the traditional protections for those presidential appointees."
#trump-administration #federal-trade-commission #political-landscape #regulatory-independence #legal-challenges
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