Democratic FTC Commissioners Sue Trump Administration Over Dismissal

Two former Democratic commissioners of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging their recent dismissals from the agency. According to The Washington Post, Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Slaughter allege that their removal earlier this month was unlawful and violated established legal precedents.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, contends that former President Donald Trump acted outside his authority by terminating them without cause. Per The Washington Post, Bedoya and Slaughter argue that the firings contravene federal statutes and long-standing Supreme Court decisions that uphold the independence of agencies like the FTC from direct presidential control.

The case is expected to escalate to the Supreme Court and could have broad implications for independent regulatory agencies. Legal experts cited by The Washington Post suggest that a ruling in favor of Trump could alter the balance of power between the executive branch and institutions such as the Federal Reserve Board, which traditionally operate with a degree of autonomy from White House influence.

Bedoya and Slaughter assert that their removal undermines the FTC’s mission to protect consumers and maintain fair market competition. Bedoya, in particular, pointed to a major grocery merger that the FTC blocked last year due to concerns about rising prices and wages, despite bipartisan political pressure to approve the deal. The Washington Post reports that Bedoya questioned the potential consequences of allowing presidential authority to extend over independent regulatory decisions, suggesting it could lead to politically motivated enforcement of antitrust laws.

Related: Democrats Urge Trump to Reinstate Ousted FTC Commissioners

“If the President can fire us for no reason, at any time, what’ll happen with the next merger like that?” Bedoya stated, as reported by The Washington Post. “Will … it all come down to a question of political donations? And who benefits from this? Because it isn’t regular people trying to pay their bills.”

Following the dismissals, FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson defended Trump’s decision, stating on X (formerly Twitter) that he had “no doubts” about the president’s constitutional authority to remove commissioners. According to The Washington Post, Ferguson justified the move as essential for maintaining democratic accountability.

The lawsuit follows a pattern of dismissals of Democratic officials at independent federal agencies since Trump’s return to office in January. Among those removed were members of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Some of these firings have already led to legal challenges, with one notable case involving NLRB Commissioner Gwynne Wilcox. A federal judge in Washington, D.C., recently ordered her reinstatement, though the Trump administration has since appealed the decision.

Source: The Washington Post