Warren, Padilla Demand Trump Reverse Illegal Attempt to Fire Independent FEC Chair
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration with oversight over federal elections, joined 9 Democratic Senators in demanding President Trump rescind his unprecedented and illegal attempt to fire of Federal Election Commission (FEC) Chair Ellen Weintraub. The Senators also urged Trump to pursue the lawful process of consulting with the Senate on nominating a replacement for both Weintraub and former Republican Commissioner Sean Cooksey, who recently resigned for a role in the Trump Administration, as well as for future vacancies.
The FEC is an independent, bipartisan agency tasked with enforcing U.S. campaign finance laws. In the 50 years since it was created — in the wake of the Watergate scandal — a commissioner has never been fired by the President. Typical procedure, as outlined in the Federal Election Campaign Act, is to have a Commissioner depart upon confirmation of their replacement.
“Chair Weintraub must be able continue to serve in her role unless and until you use the lawful process of nominating a commissioner for the Senate’s consideration and that nominee is confirmed,” wrote the Senators. “Your letter seeking to remove a commissioner ignores the legal requirements that commissioners may not be removed without cause. This effort violates the procedure set in statute for replacing commissioners in the Federal Election Campaign Act and appears to be a bad faith effort to dismantle the only federal agency that protects the American people’s right to transparency in campaigns and elections.”
“Record spending in our elections, including from ultra-wealthy individuals who now serve at the highest levels of power, has placed the FEC’s responsibilities at the heart of maintaining a healthy democracy,” concluded the Senators.
In addition to Senators Warren and Padilla, the letter was signed by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
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