Today, President Donald Trump claimed to have terminated Democratic Commissioners Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya at the Federal Trade Commission. This act violates both the statute that created the FTC and clear Supreme Court precedent.
The following can be attributed to Elise Phillips, Policy Counsel at Public Knowledge:
“This reckless, new attempt to undermine a federal agency’s independence and bipartisan structure is flatly illegal – contrary to both the statute that created the FTC, and longstanding Supreme Court precedent – and will undoubtedly be overturned by the courts.
“This news cannot come as a surprise, as President Trump has demonstrated blatant hostility to the executive branch’s independent agencies. From his attempted firing of the National Labor Relations Board chair, to the firing of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau chair, to his executive order unlawfully stating that he has the power to terminate staff at independent commissions at will, President Trump is on a clear path that punishes political opponents and threatens his fellow party members should they prove disloyal.
“The judiciary, as a co-equal branch of government, has served as a check on this administration’s abuses of power. The Trump administration’s hostility toward both the courts and independent agencies serves only as further proof of this administration’s chronic lawbreaking and disregard for constitutional checks and balances.
“The FTC was designed explicitly as a bipartisan, independent agency to protect consumers from industry abuses, including unlawful mergers, price gouging, supply chain manipulation, and reduced product quality. Even FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson frequently highlights the important role of minority commissioners, proudly citing his record of issuing dissenting opinions. It is shameful that he has cheered on the undermining of his own agency’s independence. Does he think President Biden should have fired him, given his clear disagreement with the administration’s priorities? Does he see a meaningful role for Republican commissioners during a future Democratic administration? The hypocrisy is astounding.
“As Public Knowledge has previously stated, the FTC must conduct business as it was designed – as a bipartisan, independent agency that addresses ongoing consumer harms like price gouging, supply chain shocks, and inferior product quality. We are confident that the courts will swiftly restore the FTC’s bipartisan structure, ensuring it continues to protect consumers from the harms caused by corporate consolidation and unchecked industry practices.”
You may view our blog post, “Competition and Consumer Protection Need Reinforcements: Why the FTC Should Remain Independent,” for more information.
Members of the media may contact Communications Director Shiva Stella with inquiries, interview requests, or to join the Public Knowledge press list at shiva@publicknowledge.org or 405-249-9435.