Summary

Donald Trump fired FTC Commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, the agency’s only Democrats, prompting accusations of illegal action.

Both cited Supreme Court precedent protecting FTC commissioners from dismissal without cause. Bedoya warned Trump wants the FTC to serve corporate interests, while Slaughter said the administration fears accountability.

The 1935 Supreme Court ruling bars presidents from removing FTC commissioners arbitrarily.

Critics say the move undermines regulatory independence and eliminates opposition voices that could challenge Trump’s policies favoring major corporations.

  • melpomenesclevage@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    3 days ago

    so, two rational conclusions here:

    if he illegally fired you, you were not fired. show up to your job, sue when they don’t pay you.

    OR

    laws are bullshit. grab a gun and find a nazi to point it at.

    • Guns0rWeD13@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      goddamnit, i start getting hard when i read “rational conclusion” followed by a true statement. you earned my upvote.

    • silverlose@lemm.ee
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      3 days ago

      100%!

      I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently.

      What you say is completely constitutional, but not legal. Laws are only here to maintain control, the constitution is more abstract.

      • melpomenesclevage@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        2 days ago

        I really don’t vibe with the constitution being special. it’s just some shit some assholes agreed on 250 years ago. doesn’t even fully prohibit slavery.

        • silverlose@lemm.ee
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          2 days ago

          Honestly, that’s fair. AFAIK the founding fathers were mostly capitalists and they made the rules to protect themselves.

          That said, I think in the timeline of human history, we’re converging towards better governance and I think the US constitution is largely a step in the right direction.

          But also it’s more abstract and if you look at it, it’s not that bad.

          I’m not American thought.

            • Nalivai@lemmy.world
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              2 days ago

              The point is, if you break the law you will get the whole slew of consequences, if they do it they will get jack shit.

              • melpomenesclevage@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                2 days ago

                so laws are bullshit, and it’s just a man pointing a gun at you.

                it’s just whatever he wants; the rhetoric of noncompliance with written laws is just an excuse to get people to not help and overwhelm the fucker.

              • silverlose@lemm.ee
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                2 days ago

                I know.

                Edit: Oh you’re the op of this comment. I think we’re in agreement

  • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    This makes no sense unless he can’t get his own people on the FTC or the FTC Republicans aren’t amenable to his agenda. It’s a bipartisan agency and the head leaving earlier left a spot open to swing the 5 person board to the Republicans.

    • InvertedParallax@lemm.ee
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      3 days ago

      I don’t understand why the Fuhrer voted himself additional emergency powers, he should have as much power as he needs as chancellor of the reichstag?

    • melpomenesclevage@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      3 days ago

      okay, so, ‘bipartisan’ but the fiscal conservatives sided with the wild eyed fascists, because they always do that.

      the thing is, there’s a split there. the fiscal conservative oligarch wall street coke fiends know the FTC exists to create a perception of stability, making america an appealing place to invest, and put your money, so they get more money.

      the wild eyed fascists are rabid frothing ideaologues who just need somebody to hate. right now that’s ‘the government’.

      • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        It took me a second but I think you’re saying this is a factional thing within the GOP. Where the Christian fascists just wanted the FTC dead and they got Trump to listen to them?

    • qarbone@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      Why are you still expecting nuance? They’re Democrats and haven’t kissed his ass yet. That means they’re on the chopping block.

      • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        Entirely possible with this asshole. And with more coffee on board it strikes me that making the FTC unable to function at all may be the goal.

  • RedditSucks88@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    But it’s not illegal. Which is why it hasn’t been overturned lol. People can argue that something is illegal all day long but unless it’s overturned in court then clearly its LEGAL.

    • crazyhotpasta@lemm.ee
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      3 days ago

      Dude is trying to be like undercover cops. “RedditSucks” and “88” in a same package lmao we all believe u bro 👍🏼🤣

    • chiliedogg@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      No, this one is pretty clear. The FTC chairs very specifically cannot be made up of members of a single party, with a maximum ratio of 3 members of one party to 2 of others.

      If he really wanted to skirt the law without ipenly defying it, he could invent a new, fake, political party for replacement commissioners. But Trump has zero interest in obeying the law now that he’s been specifically granted immunity from prosecution for violation of the law.

    • Girru00@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      They do have a ruling. 1935. May not without cause. Specific language is inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance in office. So your point is…?

  • Phoenixz@lemmy.ca
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    3 days ago

    Enjoy your tiered internet, US citizens! Want to access cnn.com? That’s in the special site, requires the premium package of 150/month extra but we’ll throw in free reddit.com

    • Girru00@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      Hey bud, FTC, not FCC. Both woulf be bad but this might be worse.

      FTC website (current 20250319)

      The Commission is headed by five Commissioners, nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate, each serving a seven-year term. No more than three Commissioners can be of the same political party. The President chooses one Commissioner to act as Chair.

      FTC website (current 20250319)

      The FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection stops unfair, deceptive and fraudulent business practices by collecting reports from consumers and conducting investigations, suing companies and people that break the law, developing rules to maintain a fair marketplace, and educating consumers and businesses about their rights and responsibilities.

  • Wren@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    So, let’s say after we add this to the already massive stack of criminal acts he and his jackbooted loyalists have done, we all gather around and admire how big it is while the few who remain that are capable of doing anything at all about it- do absolutely nothing at all about it.

  • Feathercrown@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    What I don’t understand is, in what sense did he actually fire you? It’s illegal. Just show up to work anyways.

    • RedditSucks88@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      Why do people keep saying this is illegal lol. Just because you don’t agree with something doesn’t make it illegal. Don’t you think some high powered lawyer would offer to fight this for them?

      • Feathercrown@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        Alternatively, it’s illegal because it was confirmed to be illegal by the supreme court in 1935. Why would you assume we’re not speaking truthfully?

      • Zedd_Prophecy@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        Did you not read the article OR the comments? ? ? I quote an above op who paraphrased the law. “They do have a ruling. 1935. May not without cause. Specific language is inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance in office.”

    • 5C5C5C@programming.dev
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      3 days ago

      If the security team and the operations team are willing to obey the order and revoke access then the illegal firing is very much effective.

      The jackboot thugs that work security for these government agencies have repeatedly demonstrated that they’re happy to listen to the children running DOGE over the members of the agency that they’re supposed to be securing, so at that point what do you expect one of these beaurocrats to do? Get into a fist fight with all the mall cops that are itching to serve the fascists?

  • randon31415@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    Biden: “I can’t fire a postmaster general who actively tried to sabotage the election against me in 2020 because it would be against the law.”

    Trump: " I fired someone who SCOTUS directly said i can’t fire because some people openly bribed me"

    • andros_rex@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      Or Biden and the 10k$ of student debt - which he buckled on basically immediately. Handouts to donors are okay, helping Americans isn’t.

      • pahlimur@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        This is a perfect example of why refuting bullshit is so much harder than generating it or spreading it.

        The Biden admin tried several times to forgive debt and was stopped by every republican and finally the Supreme Court. They didn’t drop it, they were forced to stop by Republicans after repeated attempts. If they didn’t find a legal path to forgiveness, it could be clawed back easily in the future.

        The Trump administration can do whatever the fuck it wants right now because Republicans are letting them with their overall majority.

        • BigMacHole@lemm.ee
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          3 days ago

          And as Trump has shown us the Supreme Court has LOTS of Teeth so you BETTER listen to them!

          • pahlimur@lemmy.world
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            3 days ago

            More unnuanced bullshit, that’s objectively false, with small grains of truth. Makes people think Biden had the same backing Trump does now, which is false.

            • frezik@midwest.social
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              3 days ago

              If only Biden had ignored all checks and balances the way Trump is. That’s what we’re actually asking for here, right?

        • warbond@lemmy.world
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          3 days ago

          I’m not sure I buy into Dems being Republican-Lite, but through that lens Biden’s actions do seem pretty suspicious

          • AbsoluteChicagoDog@lemm.ee
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            3 days ago

            They’re both pro capitalism parties sponsored by the 1%, Democrats suck up social change movements to ensure they don’t challenge the status quo.

    • pulsewidth@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      Hey at least they have the moral high ground - they’ll have a good view watching the country sink into fascism from up there

    • pulsewidth@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      Its not like they can just keep showing up to work and the security keyfobs will keep working and the paycheck will keep coming.

      That shit wouldn’t work at a Taco Bell I don’t see how you guys think it would work for a Federal Trade Commission officer.

      • cyphear@lemm.ee
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        3 days ago

        What if they were fired but kept showing up and being paid, then you just keep moving their desk and taking their staplers? Then get a couple of Bob’s to interview the entire staff after a few years of that. Oh, and make sure that any birthdays that get celebrated they have to pass their piece of cake to the next person and don’t get any themselves. Eventually “fix” the accounting error and just let things work themselves out.

        • Nelots@lemm.ee
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          3 days ago

          Commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter said they’d been dismissed illegally and would sue to block Trump’s order. They also said they consider themselves still part of the FTC, though whether they will still have access to their offices and logistical tools like email going forward was unclear.

          From a different, apnews article. Not sure what more you want them to do.

  • jjjalljs@ttrpg.network
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    3 days ago

    I feel like if a democrat did something like this fox news et al would be screaming screaming screaming and there would be violent riots. Why is everyone else so docile?

    • Ledericas@lemm.ee
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      3 days ago

      exactly this, FOX, all the MSM, russian backed grifters will all be railing the Ds.

  • neuracnu@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    3 days ago

    Woke: Get illegally fired and act like you were fired illegally. Keep going to work. Let security block your entry. Argue that you still work there because the order to fire you was illegal. When you’re arrested, take the matter to court and get legal standing on the fact that your firing was illegal.

    Broke: Get illegally fired and whine on social media about it.

    • pulsewidth@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      I’m sure going into the FTC, swiping their security fob and having it deny them entry would be a huge boon for their cause. If they’re asked to leave by security and they don’t they can be legally arrested for trespassing.

      The same afternoon she was dismissed, Slaughter is out with an official statement and on the phone to multiple press agencies to get the story out immediately. Sure sounds like someone taking action to me. No doubt she will take them to court (likely the other guy will join her) but that doesn’t happen overnight, this was literally yesterday - best lawyer in the world would struggle to have an actionable case ready yet.

      You’ll note that none of the above can be done if you’re still under arrest for trespass…