President Trump has fired the two Democratic members of the Federal Trade Commission, Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya, setting off concerns about the agency’s independence. The move may pave the way for the administration’s agenda to be pushed forward through the Commission. Both Slaughter and Bedoya have vowed to challenge the decision in court.
The firings are seen as another attempt by Trump to assert control over independent regulators within the U.S. government, disregarding their traditional protections. The move aligns with an executive order issued by Trump last month that aimed to increase presidential authority over agencies like the F.T.C. This new direction has raised concerns about the agency’s ability to operate independently and impartially.
Critics argue that introducing political hirings and firings into the F.T.C. could undermine its legitimacy and ability to function as a bipartisan institution. The agency, established in 1914, was created to address consumer protection through less political means.
The actions of the Trump administration have drawn strong opposition from individuals like Senator Amy Klobuchar, who called the firings “outrageous” and “illegal.” Critics fear that gutting the commission will benefit fraudsters and monopolists at the expense of consumers. The firing of the Commissioners and the administration’s attempt to exert control over independent regulators have raised concerns about the future direction of the agency and its ability to enforce consumer protection and antitrust laws.
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