Overview

• Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter filed a federal lawsuit on March 27, 2025, seeking reinstatement, back pay, and a declaration that their firings were unlawful.
• The lawsuit argues that the dismissals violate the 1935 Supreme Court precedent in Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, which restricts the president's ability to remove FTC commissioners without cause.
• President Trump’s administration claims that removal protections for FTC commissioners are unconstitutional and intends to defend the firings in court.
• The lawsuit also names FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson, Commissioner Melissa Holyoak, and Executive Director David Robbins for actions taken after the firings, such as restricting access to offices and technology.
• The case is expected to escalate to the Supreme Court, with potential implications for the independence of regulatory agencies like the Federal Reserve.