WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, President Trump abruptly fired Democratic FTC commissioners Rebecca Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya in a desperate attempt to remove any semblance of agency independence from partisan politics.

“Trump’s firing of Commissioners Bedoya and Slaughter is a blatantly illegal move that cripples the FTC from fulfilling its mission to shield consumers from predatory practices,” said Susan Weinstock, CEO of Consumer Federation of America. “A partisan, politicized FTC is a major step backwards for our country and pushes us closer to a market that only works for wealthy elites rather than everyday Americans.”