The Supreme Court cleared the way for Donald Trump to fire the sole Democrat on the Federal Trade Commission, raising doubt about a long-standing precedent that has limited the president’s power over independent agencies.
In their ruling, the high court set the question of whether Trump could fire the commissioners for oral arguments in December, and whether a 1935 decision, Humphrey’s Executor vs. United States, should be overruled. The court also granted a stay that will allow Trump to dismiss the commissioner in the meantime.
Without cause or even reason, Trump fired Rebecca Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya in March. They were the two Democrats on the FTC , but Republicans would still have three slots on the commission, given them control. Slaughter and Bedoya later challenged thei