Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios
Democrats wrote to President Trump on Thursday urging that he abandon the effort to get rid of the two Democratic members of the FTC, Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Slaughter.
Why it matters: The congressional support comes as the two fired commissioners kick off their legal fight to reclaim their jobs.
- Bedoya and Slaughter filed suit against the Trump administration in D.C. District Court Thursday, calling their firings illegal per a 1935 Supreme Court case, Humphrey's Executor.
What they're saying: 17 Democrats, led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Jan Schakowsky, wrote to Trump that firing the two Dems "appears to be yet another decision that you have made to help Elon Musk and other billionaire supporters — and leaves middle class families stuck with the cost."
- "These purported firings threaten the FTC's existence as an independent agency and pave the way for you to usr the FTC as a tool for partisan retribution or favor," the lawmakers write in the letter seen first by Axios.
The letter lays out recent FTC work the lawmakers say is at risk with the firings, including:
- Ending noncompete agreements
- Banning hidden junk fees
- Getting privacy promises from Big Tech companies and data brokers
- Protecting kids' privacy
The big picture: Democrats have been railing against the firings and saying it threatens the entire concept of independent agencies.
- Republicans on the Hill have either largely supported Trump in removing whomever he wants from office or stayed silent on the FTC firings.
