Washington, DC — In response to the Supreme Court ruling in Trump v. Slaughter, in which the Court’s right-wing majority, overturning a nearly century-old precedent, held that presidents have absolute power to fire heads and commissioners of agencies that were designed by Congress to be able to do their jobs independent of partisan politics, People For the American Way President Svante Myrick released the following statement:
With its 6-3 ruling in Trump v. Slaughter, the Supreme Court’s right-wing majority has accelerated its delivery of king-like powers to the presidency, which is particularly dangerous at a time when the executive branch is in the hands of an authoritarian who eagerly abuses his power to enrich himself and punish his enemies.
Justice Sotomayor’s dissent exposes and dissects the majority’s “egregiously wrong” ruling and its twisting of history and law to achieve a major goal of the right-wing legal movement and Project 2025. She wrote that the majority decision “reshapes our Government” and shifts “tremendous power over broad swaths of American life into the President’s hands.”
It is terrifying to imagine how many Americans will be harmed by this ruling and the way that Donald Trump and Russell Vought will implement it. It is clearer than ever that the Court majority is on a destructive and illegitimate power trip and must be checked by a Congress and President who are committed to court reform. Voters, our task is clear.
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About People For the American Way:
People For the American Way is a national progressive advocacy organization that inspires and mobilizes Americans to defend freedom, justice, and democracy from those who threaten to take them away. For more than four decades, we have been dedicated to making the promise of American ideals real for everyone and have worked toward a vision of a vibrant America where basic rights and freedoms are upheld for all, not just the wealthy and the powerful. Learn more at peoplefor.org.