Oppose Illegal Firings of FTC Commissioners, Cuts to Agency

Today I’m writing to urge you to block the illegal firing of two Federal Trade Commissioners, both Democrats, and restore them to their jobs, and block any illegal mass layoffs at the Commission. Commissioners Rebecca Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya have both stated that the President illegally fired them. Their have given detailed statements, and plan on testifying further. The President acted against a 1935 Supreme Court Ruling [The Humphreys Executor Case]. In that case, SCOTUS ruled that the FTC is an independent organization and the President cannot remove them based on policy issues. This ruling is very important here because the ruling contains language that would probably apply to the illegal firings at many federal agencies. What it means is that this is an illegal, rogue action by a rogue President, and undermines the agency's independence and the rule of law. It’s a dangerous and alarming overreach of executive power. It threatens to threatens to cripple the FTC's ability to promote fair competition and protect consumers from unfair business practices. The severe budget cuts proposed for the agency would decimate its enforcement capabilities, which will simply mean more unlawful behavior by large and powerful corporations. It will likely lead to higher prices on all kinds of consumer goods, even worse monopolistic behavior, and make even health care even less accessible. Indeed, the FTC has been active in criticizing the actions of of a number of corporations that support Trump and Musk. The FTC must remain a strong, independent body, adequately funded to carry out its vital consumer protection mission without improper political interference. We urge you in the strongest possible terms to forcefully reject these actions openly and to the public. Thank you for your attention to this matter.