Chief Justice Roberts Halts Trump's FTC Removal, Slaughter Temporarily Reinstated
Chief Justice Roberts temporarily halted rulings allowing President Trump to remove an FTC member, reinstating Rebecca Slaughter. Legal battles over presidential removal power continue.
Supreme Court allows Trump to fire FTC commissioner while considering case
Washington Examiner
Overview
- Chief Justice John Roberts temporarily halted lower court rulings that had allowed President Donald Trump to remove a Federal Trade Commission member.
- This judicial intervention specifically concerns Rebecca Slaughter, a Democrat-appointed FTC member, whose termination by President Trump sparked the ongoing legal dispute.
- As a direct consequence of Roberts' temporary order, Rebecca Slaughter has been reinstated and is currently serving in her position at the Federal Trade Commission.
- The broader legal battle centers on the extent of the President's authority to dismiss officials from independent agencies without cause, challenging established precedents.
- Slaughter's lawsuit against her removal is set to proceed, with her legal team preparing to address the Trump administration's arguments regarding presidential power.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources cover the story neutrally, focusing on the Supreme Court's interim decision regarding Trump's ability to remove an FTC commissioner. They present both the administration's legal arguments and the historical precedent limiting presidential power, without using loaded language or prioritizing one side's narrative. The coverage explains the complex legal dispute clearly.
"The Supreme Court hasn't ruled on the merits of the case."
ARS Technica"Chief Justice John Roberts has allowed President Trump to remove a member of the Federal Trade Commission for now."
CBS News"The Supreme Court on Sept. 8 let President Donald Trump temporarily remove a Biden-appointed member of the Federal Trade Commission, the latest fight in Trump's test of his ability to fire members of independent agencies without cause."
USA TODAY"Monday’s order is the latest sign that the Supreme Court’s conservative majority has effectively abandoned a 90-year-old high court precedent that protected some federal agencies from arbitrary presidential action."
Associated Press"The order did not definitively signal how the court would address an emergency request made by the Trump administration to give the president broader authority to fire independent agency members without cause, but signals that it would likely grant it."
NBC NewsArticles (13)
Center (5)
FAQ
The Federal Trade Commission Act protects FTC commissioners by allowing them to be removed by the President only for cause such as inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office, thus ensuring the FTC's independence as a multi-member body.
Her firing was ruled unlawful because it violated the statutory protections under the FTC Act that restrict removal of commissioners without cause, a safeguard intended to maintain the Commission's independence.
Chief Justice Roberts temporarily halted President Trump's removal of Rebecca Slaughter, resulting in her reinstatement to the FTC while the legal dispute over her removal continues to be litigated.
The case challenges the extent of presidential power to dismiss officials from independent agencies without cause, potentially affecting the balance of independence and executive control over federal commissions.
Judge Loren AliKhan ruled that President Trump's firing of Slaughter was illegal, reaffirming her right to remain on the FTC until her term expires unless removed for cause.
History
- 8d
10 articles