A federal judge has restored a Democrat to the Federal Trade Commission, ruling that President Donald Trump illegally fired her earlier this year in his efforts to exert control over independent agencies across the government. U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan ruled late Thursday that federal law protects FTC commissioners from being removed by the president without cause, citing a key 1935 U.S. Supreme Court decision involving the FTC. The decision allows Rebecca Kelly Slaughter to resume her duties as commissioner. Administration lawyers almost immediately declared their intent to appeal, and the case could make its way to the Supreme Court.
