The dismissal of two FTC officials undermines the independence of the FTC, leaving consumers at risk
Washington, DC – The White House today announced the removal of two commissioners, Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) despite the clear text of the FTC Act and a 1935 Supreme Court ruling protecting commissioners from termination without cause.
The FTC is an independent agency that has long served as the primary consumer protection body in the country. The FTC is tasked with protecting consumers from unfair and deceptive trade practices, ensuring fair methods of competition, and investigating consumer complaints, including on issues relating to fraud, identity theft, and deceptive advertising. It oversees key consumer protection laws, like the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), the Clayton Act, and more.
Justin Brookman, director of technology policy at CR and a former policy director of FTC’s Office of Technology, Research, and Investigation said, “This is a dangerous action that thoroughly undermines the integrity and independence of the FTC. The FTC plays a central role in protecting consumers and ensuring fair competition in the marketplace. These two commissioners have forcefully advocated for stronger protections against predatory business practices, sought to mitigate abuses of consumers’ personal data, and fought to create a more fair, transparent, and competitive marketplace.”
The two commissioners were in the political minority, and the FTC Act states that two of the five Commissioners shall be from the minority party and they may only be removed for “inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.” The FTC has a long history of working on a bipartisan basis to provide redress for consumers, including under the first Trump administration.
Brookman continued, “If an administration can remove commissioners at will, the FTC will be less thoughtful, less effective, and more subject to the whims of politicians and industry lobbyists. Simply put, this action jeopardizes the legitimacy of the agency. We call on Chair Ferguson to renounce today’s decision, and for the White House to immediately reinstate commissioners Bedoya and Slaughter.”
Contact: Cyrus Rassool, cyrus.rassool@consumer.org