The FTC tells staff not to call the agency independent in complaints

The FTC is an independent agency of the United States Government… Andrew Ferguson argues against the firings of the FTC Commissioners in a lawsuit

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Republican FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson has expressed public support for Trump’s actions. “My Democrat former colleagues are entitled to their day in court, but I have no doubt that President Trump’s lawful powers will ultimately be confirmed,” he said in response to the lawsuit over the commissioners’ firings.

The lawsuit also references statements that Ferguson made in front of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation before he was appointed as a commissioner by Joe Biden last year, promising that “If confirmed as an FTC Commissioner, I will abide by binding Supreme Court precedent.” After the case was filed, Ferguson published a statement on X saying, “My Democrat former colleagues are entitled to their day in court, but I have no doubt that President Trump’s lawful powers will ultimately be confirmed.”

They argue that without finding “… inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office,” they have a right to remain in office for the remainder of their seven-year term under the FTC Act — and they’re asking the District of Columbia federal court to restore those positions.

This latest sign that Republican leadership at the FTC is not going to fight back against the Trump administration shows that they don’t want an independent agency. In February, the White House signed an executive order stating that they could review independent regulatory agencies their obligations for consistency with the President’s policies and priorities.

“Moving forward, when describing the Commission as the Plaintiff in a Complaint, please track the below edit,” Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Christopher Mufarrige said in a March 21st email viewed by The Verge. The email was sent to the bureau’s associate and regional directors, and copied to deputy directors of the unit. “The FTC is an independent agency of the United States Government created by the FTC Act.”