Trump asks Supreme Court to allow firing of Biden-appointed regulators
President Donald Trump’s Justice Department is once again seeking intervention from the Supreme Court, this time in an emergency appeal to overturn lower court rulings that blocked the administration from firing three Biden-appointed regulators. The regulators in question are members of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), an independent regulatory board responsible for setting standards and overseeing safety for consumer products.
The Trump administration’s emergency appeal comes after the Supreme Court granted a separate emergency appeal request in May, allowing the administration to fire two Biden-appointed officials from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). White House spokesperson Harrison Fields expressed frustration with what he referred to as rogue leftist judges in lower courts defying the Supreme Court’s clear rulings regarding the president’s authority to fire federal agency officials.
Mary Boyle, Alexander Hoehn-Saric, and Richard Trumka Jr. were appointed by former President Joe Biden to serve on the CPSC for seven-year terms. Traditionally, the positions on the independent government agency have been protected from retribution, with termination only allowed for neglect or malfeasance. However, after President Trump attempted to fire the three Democratic regulators, they sued, claiming he sought to remove them without cause. A federal judge in Maryland sided with the regulators, a ruling that was upheld by an appeals court this week.
The emergency appeal submitted to the Supreme Court argues that the regulators have shown hostility to the president’s agenda and have caused chaos within the agency. The Trump administration asserts that the High Court’s previous rulings in favor of the president’s ability to fire executive branch officials should also apply to the CPSC regulators. Solicitor General John Sauer emphasized the CPSC’s exercise of executive power, including issuing rules, adjudicating administrative proceedings, and bringing enforcement suits.
The request for intervention will be reviewed by Chief Justice John Roberts, who is responsible for emergency appeals from the appeals court that upheld the Maryland court ruling blocking the Trump administration’s attempts to fire the regulators. The Trump administration remains committed to upholding the president’s constitutional authority and effectively leading the executive branch, despite ongoing legal challenges and obstructions.
In conclusion, the emergency appeal to the Supreme Court represents the latest legal battle between the Trump administration and Biden-appointed regulators. The outcome of this appeal will have significant implications for the president’s authority to remove agency officials and maintain control over the executive branch.
