Columbia Standard

U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin and U.S. Senator Cory Booker are leading Senate and House Democrats in an amicus brief challenging former President Donald Trump's recent moves against the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Durbin and Booker oppose what they call President Trump’s unlawful attempt to dismiss FTC Commissioners Rebecca Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya, who are noted as Senate-confirmed, duly appointed members of this independent agency.

The brief, which was joined by Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and several other influential Senators and Representatives, argues that Trump's actions undermine the FTC’s role and compromise the independence of federal agencies. In total, 251 Congressional Democrats have signed this amicus brief, which was also supported by House Leaders such as Jamie Raskin, Joe Neguse, and Hakeem Jeffries.

Senator Durbin stated, “President Trump is yet again abusing the power of the presidency by unlawfully removing two FTC Commissioners. The law and Supreme Court precedent are crystal clear: Commissioners Slaughter and Bedoya cannot be removed without good cause.”

Booker emphasized the importance of the FTC, stating, “The FTC catches scammers, breaks up monopolies, protects children’s privacy online, and encourages competition to keep prices low at the grocery store, pharmacy, and gas stations.”

Senate Democrats argue that Trump’s actions could lead to higher costs for American families by reducing the agency’s ability to regulate consumer protections and enforce antitrust laws effectively. Schumer called the move, “reckless” and emphasized its potential effects on prices and consumer protections.

In the ongoing legal battle, Slaughter v. Trump, the congressional amicus brief references the Supreme Court’s 1935 decision in Humphrey’s Executor, which affirms Congress's authority to establish independent agencies with removal protections for their commissioners.