US Supreme Court opens door to allowing Trump to fire agency officials without cause, fueling concerns about erosion of checks and balances.
The US Supreme Court has appeared receptive to a ruling that would allow President Donald Trump to remove members of independent agencies from their posts without cause, sparking concerns about the erosion of checks and balances in the US government. The case, Trump v Slaughter, involves Trump's attempt to fire a member of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Rebecca Kelly Slaughter.
The issue at hand dates back to 1935 when the Supreme Court ruled in Humphrey's Executor that Congress has the authority to limit the president's power to remove members of independent agencies. The ruling established that such removals are limited to instances of inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.
However, the Trump administration argues that this precedent is outdated and should be overturned. Solicitor General D John Sauer told the court that Humphrey's Executor "encroaches on the president's authority" and that Congress has "repeatedly eroded" its power to regulate executive agencies.
The court's liberals have expressed skepticism about the Trump administration's argument, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor warning that a ruling in favor of the administration could lead to chaos across the government. The three liberal justices have defended the removal protections and warned that expanding presidential power over independent agencies would undermine their independence and put "massive uncontrolled, unchecked power" in the hands of the president.
The conservative justices, on the other hand, have expressed skepticism about Congress's ability to limit the president's authority over executive agencies. Justice Brett Kavanaugh noted that broad delegations of power to independent agencies can raise significant constitutional concerns for individual liberty.
If the Supreme Court rules in favor of the Trump administration, it could pave the way for a significant expansion of presidential power over independent agencies and potentially undermine checks on his authority. The case has significant implications for the functioning of the US government and highlights the ongoing struggle between the branches of government over the scope of executive authority.
The US Supreme Court has appeared receptive to a ruling that would allow President Donald Trump to remove members of independent agencies from their posts without cause, sparking concerns about the erosion of checks and balances in the US government. The case, Trump v Slaughter, involves Trump's attempt to fire a member of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Rebecca Kelly Slaughter.
The issue at hand dates back to 1935 when the Supreme Court ruled in Humphrey's Executor that Congress has the authority to limit the president's power to remove members of independent agencies. The ruling established that such removals are limited to instances of inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.
However, the Trump administration argues that this precedent is outdated and should be overturned. Solicitor General D John Sauer told the court that Humphrey's Executor "encroaches on the president's authority" and that Congress has "repeatedly eroded" its power to regulate executive agencies.
The court's liberals have expressed skepticism about the Trump administration's argument, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor warning that a ruling in favor of the administration could lead to chaos across the government. The three liberal justices have defended the removal protections and warned that expanding presidential power over independent agencies would undermine their independence and put "massive uncontrolled, unchecked power" in the hands of the president.
The conservative justices, on the other hand, have expressed skepticism about Congress's ability to limit the president's authority over executive agencies. Justice Brett Kavanaugh noted that broad delegations of power to independent agencies can raise significant constitutional concerns for individual liberty.
If the Supreme Court rules in favor of the Trump administration, it could pave the way for a significant expansion of presidential power over independent agencies and potentially undermine checks on his authority. The case has significant implications for the functioning of the US government and highlights the ongoing struggle between the branches of government over the scope of executive authority.
... if they let Trump just fire anyone from an agency without a reason, that's like, total disregard for due process, you know? Like, what's next? Letting him do whatever he wants without Congress having any say in it? 
It's all about checks and balances, guys. Without those, we're basically just a dictatorship. I don't trust the Supreme Court on this one... they seem to be going along with Trump's agenda which is pretty scary. And what's up with Kavanaugh being so wishy-washy? He used to care about individual liberty and now he's all about letting the president do whatever he wants? 
this ruling would be super worrying i mean imagine trump or any future president just firing officials left and right without having to give a reason why it's like unchecked power 
. the checks and balances are in place for a reason, so we don't end up with a dictator on our hands 
. and what about the people who would be affected by these firings? wouldn't that just lead to more uncertainty and chaos? 
. cant let the exec branch just run wild w/oCongress keepin an eye on it 
. this is def a slippery slope... once u start allowin all sorts of unchecked power, its hard 2 take it back 
, it's about time someone started questioning the limits of power, right? I mean, who needs checks and balances when you've got a president who knows what's best for everything? The fact that the conservative justices are on board with this is concerning - it's like they're trying to create a constitutional crisis 
. This ruling is just more proof that our system of government needs some serious shaking up 
.
If the Supreme Court rules in favor of Trump, it could be a disaster 
for the entire US system. I mean, think about it - if presidents can just fire anyone they want from independent agencies without reason, that's like giving them unchecked power 
. I'm not sure how we'd even know what's going on anymore 
That's like her saying Trump could become a dictator 
. It's all about balance and fairness 
.
, and I hope the liberal justices win out 
. We need to make sure our government stays strong and independent 
! If they let Trump do whatever he wants with those agency officials, it's like, the end of democracy, you know? 
The FTC is supposed to regulate Trump's own businesses, not do his bidding. This ruling would just let him get away with everything. 
this is so bad news 
... checks and balances are meant to prevent exactly this kind of abuse of power 
... what's next? Is he gonna try to dissolve Congress too?