Rebecca Slaughter, the former Federal Trade Commission member whose firing was upheld by the Supreme Court on Monday, warned that the justices had opened the door for abuse of presidential power.
Independent agencies like the F.TC. were created to act as watchdogs of powerful corporations, without interference by the president, the former Democratic commissioner said in a statement shortly after the decision was handed down.
“Today’s ruling makes it possible for presidents to fire watchdogs who won’t put politics over principle, and replace them with lap dogs,” Ms. Slaughter said. “It’s a recipe for corruption; working families will pay the price.”
The Supreme Court’s 6-to-3 decision in the case, Trump v. Slaughter, effectively gives the president free rein to fire members of more than 20 independent federal agencies, which are typically led by members of both parties. The decision overturned a 90-year-old law restricting presidents from firing officials without cause.
The F.T.C. was founded in 1914 to oversee fair trade and competition in commerce and enforces consumer protection and competition laws. The agency typically has five commissioners, three from the party in the White House.
Ms. Slaughter was appointed by President Trump in 2018 and served as acting chair of the agency during the early Biden administration. When Mr. Trump began his second term, she was the longest serving commissioner.
But in March of last year, Ms. Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya, a fellow Democrat, were fired by Mr. Trump. The pair sued to challenge their dismissals.
Mr. Bedoya later dropped his legal challenge against the administration, citing financial reasons. Ms. Slaughter brought her case before the Supreme Court last December.
In the majority’s opinion, written by Chief Justice John Roberts, the court found that Congress cannot limit the president’s authority to fire members of agencies.
“Although it is up to the Senate to decide whether to confirm those with whom the president would prefer to work, neither Congress nor the courts may saddle him with those with whom he cannot work,” Judge Roberts wrote. “Subordinates who exercise the president’s power are subject to removal by him. Then, and only then, can they remain accountable to the president, and the president to the people.” Mr. Trump celebrated the decision on social media, describing the ruling as a decision that presidents have wanted for nearly a century. “It is such an Honor to be the sitting President who won this Historic and Unprecedented Ruling, one of the most important ever given with respect to Presidential Powers,” he wrote.
In her statement, Ms. Slaughter said that serving at the F.T.C. had been “the honor of a lifetime” and expressed personal sadness that she would not be returning to the role.
But he lawsuit, she said, “was always about something bigger than me, and I am most disappointed for our country,” noting the important role that the agency plays in arenas including child online safety and pharmaceutical prices.
“The consequences of this ruling will be felt by every American in both tangible and imperceptible ways,” she said.
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