Supreme Court Weighs Presidential Power Over Independent Agencies in Landmark Case
The Supreme Court is reviewing President Trump's authority to dismiss independent agency members without cause, potentially redefining executive power and federal government structure.
Overview
The Supreme Court is currently examining a case concerning President Trump's authority to dismiss members of independent federal agencies, like the FTC, without needing to provide specific cause.
This significant review stems from the Trump administration's decision to fire Federal Trade Commission (FTC) member Rebecca Slaughter, bringing the issue of presidential removal power to the forefront.
A key legal point in the deliberations is a congressional law that mandates presidents can only remove commissioners for cause, a statute now under intense scrutiny by the Court.
Conservative justices have indicated strong support for the Trump administration's stance, potentially leading to the overturning of a 90-year-old precedent that limits presidential removal authority.
The Court's impending decision could profoundly reshape the federal government's structure, altering the power dynamics between the president and independent agencies, and redefining executive power.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this story by emphasizing the Supreme Court's anticipated decision as a significant expansion of presidential power that threatens the independence of federal agencies. They highlight the potential for "upending" the government's structure and "rolling back 90 years of legal precedent," underscoring the broad repercussions and the concerns raised by liberal justices about "unchecked power" and "chaos."
Sources (27)
Center (11)
FAQ
The legal basis is the 1935 Supreme Court decision Humphrey’s Executor, which upheld that Congress can restrict a president's removal power over independent agency members to cause such as inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance because these agencies exercise quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial powers rather than executive functions.
Rebecca Slaughter is a former Federal Trade Commission commissioner whose firing by President Trump is the central issue in the Supreme Court case Trump v. Slaughter, challenging the president's authority to remove independent agency members without cause.
The Court might overturn Humphrey’s Executor, a 90-year-old precedent that currently limits presidential removal power over members of independent federal agencies to only for cause reasons.
The decision could profoundly reshape the federal government by altering the balance of power between the president and independent agencies, potentially expanding executive power by allowing the president to remove independent agency members without cause.
Conservative justices have shown strong support for the Trump administration's position to allow removal without cause, implying a possible decision to dismantle the long-standing protections for independent agency members and increase presidential control.
History
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