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Trump’s Dismissal of FTC Democratic Commissioners Sparks Controversy

In a significant move, President Donald Trump has continued his efforts to reshape the U.S. government by dismissing two Democratic members of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Traditionally, the FTC comprises five members, with three belonging to the president’s party and two from the opposing party. As reported by The New York Times, Trump has removed Commissioners Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya from their roles.

Following their termination, both Slaughter and Bedoya contended that their dismissals are illegal. According to established protocol, commissioners can only be removed prior to the end of their terms for specific reasons classified as “good cause,” which include factors such as “inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.” Furthermore, regulations stipulate that no more than three commissioners can be affiliated with the same political party, implying that the president cannot replace Slaughter and Bedoya with additional Republican appointees. This raises the likelihood of impending legal action against Trump’s decision.

Slaughter articulated her concerns regarding the dismissal in a statement, emphasizing, “The law protects the independence of the Commission because the law serves the American people, not corporate power.” She noted that the FTC’s efficacy stems from its bipartisan structure, which provides a necessary balance. “Removing opposition voices may not change what the Trump majority can do, but it does change whether they will have accountability when they do it,” she added.

Bedoya echoed Slaughter’s sentiments, asserting the illegal nature of their terminations. He took to social media to share his perspective, stating, “Tomorrow I will testify before the Colorado Joint House and Senate Judiciary Committees, and will have more to say then.” His forthcoming testimony is anticipated to shed further light on the implications of the dismissals.

Additionally, Trump signed an executive order in February aimed at increasing his administration’s influence over independent federal agencies, which were originally designed to operate independently from presidential oversight. This order specifically included the FTC, the Federal Communications Commission, and the Securities and Exchange Commission among those agencies. Recently, the FTC has also removed all compliance advice related to Biden’s administration from its official blog, resulting in a significant void of information spanning four years.

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