President Donald Trump has fired the three Democrats on the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) who were appointed by former President Joe Biden, according to The Hill.
The move, which leaves CPSC with just two Republican members on its board, is the Trump administration's most recent test of the limits of presidential authority over independent agencies.
The panel develops product standards for manufacturers, researches product safety hazards and issues bans on products it deems risky for consumers. It also triggers product recalls.
Mary Boyle, Alexander Hoehn-Saric, and Richard Trumka Jr., who drew national attention in 2023 for suggesting the CPSC could ban gas stoves, were identified by The Hill as the Democrat commissioners removed by Trump.
All three reportedly were appointed by Trump’s Democrat predecessor and confirmed by the Senate.
The Hill reported that Trumka is the son of late AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka.
Boyle and Trumka told The Washington Post they received emails from the White House on Thursday notifying them of their dismissals, while Hoehn-Saric did not. Sources who spoke with The Hill said that Hoehn-Saric and his staff were locked out of the agency’s building.
The firings reportedly took place shortly after employees from the Department of Government Efficiency visited the CPSC office in Bethesda, Maryland, on Thursday.
Consumer Reports slammed the terminations in a statement on Friday, calling them "illegal" and demanding that Congress step in.
"This is an appalling and lawless attack on the independence of our country’s product safety watchdog," William Wallace, director of safety advocacy for Consumer Reports, said. "Anyone who cares about keeping their family safe should oppose this move and demand that it be reversed.
"For more than five decades, members of Congress from both parties have supported the role of an independent, bipartisan CPSC. Today’s Congress must step up to defend the agency, reject this power grab, and reaffirm that our laws actually mean what they say on the page."
The three Democrat commissioners told the Post in a statement that they plan to fight their firings in court.
Trump's action "is unlawful," Hoehn-Saric wrote, "and is part of this Administration’s efforts to eliminate federal agencies, personnel, and policies that have made Americans safer."
Trumka indicated that he plans to continue serving on the CPSC until the end of his appointed tenure.
"I have a set term on this independent, bipartisan Commission that does not expire until October of 2028, and I will continue protecting the American people from harm through that time," he wrote. "The President would like to end this nation's long history of independent agencies, so he’s chosen to ignore the law and pretend independence doesn’t exist. I'll see him in court."
In her statement, Boyle also said that she planned to continue serving despite the administration’s move.
"Until my term as commissioner concludes, I will insist on following these time-tested principles, and I will use my voice to speak out on behalf of safety," Boyle said.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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