Setting up a battle over the independence of a major federal agency, Donald Trump fired the two Democrats who sit on the Federal Trade Commission.
Rebecca Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya said that they were “illegally fired” from their roles. Traditionally, the commission has been split 3-2 favoring whichever party retains the White House. No more than three commissioners can be of the same political party.
Since Trump took office, the commission has been split 2-2, with Trump’s nominee to fill the third GOP slot, Mark Meador, yet to be confirmed by the Senate. Their firings leave the commission with a Republican majority, something that would clear the way for major mergers to get the greenlight.
In a statement, Slaughter said that Trump violated federal statute and “clear Supreme Court precedent.”
“Now, the president wants the FTC to be a lapdog for his golfing buddies,” Bedoya said in a statement.
Their firings raise questions of whether Trump also will try to remove Democrats from the FCC. Geoffrey Starks, one of two Democrats on the commission along with Anna Gomez, said that he planned to step down from his position this spring. The FCC also is set up in a similar fashion, where no more than three commissioners can be from the same political party.
