Product safety commission members sue Trump administration over terminations
Commissioners Mary Boyle, Alexander Hoehn-Saric and Richard Trumka Jr filed their lawsuit in the federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland. Each was appointed by former President Joe Biden to the five-member commission.
They said in their lawsuit, opens new tab that the Republican Trump administration illegally terminated them without cause and with no explanation. They alleged the terminations violated restrictions on the president's power to remove members of independent agencies such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
Commissioners can be removed by the president only for neglect of duty or malfeasance, the lawsuit said.
'Safety shouldn't be partisan,' Boyle said in a statement. 'The CPSC needs independent leadership that is not beholden to anyone, whether it is corporate interests or the administration.'
The White House and Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The safety commission, founded in 1972, is a regulatory and enforcement agency tasked by Congress with shielding consumers from injury or death from defective or harmful products.
The commissioners' lawsuit said a judge should declare the removals unlawful and immediately allow the three members to return to their posts. Boyle's term was due to expire in October, Hoehn-Saric's in 2027 and Trumka's in 2028.
President Donald Trump has faced a number of lawsuits over his efforts to remove members of other agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission, National Labor Relations Board, Equal Opportunity Employment Commission and Merit Systems Protection Board.
In April, the U.S. Supreme Court said Trump for now could remove Democratic members of the NLRB and MSPB, putting on hold lower court rulings that had protected them from dismissal.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
27 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Donald Trump goes golfing as major protests take place across Scotland
Mr Trump could be seen driving a golf buggy, flanked by a fleet of security personnel, as he played on the famous course which he bought in 2014. Protesters have insisted that Donald Trump is 'not welcome here' as the US president took to the golf course on the first full day of his visit to Scotland. Tight security around the Trump Turnberry course meant no demonstrators were seen when the president took to the greens on Saturday morning. Dressed in black, with a white cap that said USA on it, Mr Trump could be seen driving a golf buggy, flanked by a fleet of security personnel, as he played on the famous course which he bought in 2014. The outspoken Republican waved to journalists at one point, with hits including Billy Joel's Uptown Girl and Elaine Paige's rendition of Memory from the musical Cats heard playing from his entourage. But when asked about links to disgraced paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, the Simon and Garfunkel hit Bridge Over Troubled Water could be heard. However hundreds gathered in both Edinburgh and Aberdeen – near the site of Mr Trump's other Scottish golf resort – to make their opposition to the president known. As the visit got under way Scottish First Minister John Swinney – who is due to hold talks with the president later in the trip – announced public money to support a tournament at the Trump International golf links in Aberdeenshire. The 2025 Nexo Championship – previously known as the Scottish Championship – is set to take place there next month, supported by £180,000 of public funding. Mr Swinney said: 'The Scottish Government recognises the importance and benefits of golf and golf events, including boosting tourism and our economy.' But Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie likened the awarding of public cash to the tournament to 'handing some pocket money to the school bully'. Mr Trump will head to his golf resort in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire later on in his five-day long private visit. As part of his trip he will also hold talks with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, where the two men will refine a trade deal between the UK and the US that was agreed earlier this year. The president is also expected to talk trade with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday. But with no talks apparently scheduled for Saturday, the president, who is well known for his love of golf, was free to take to the famous course at Turnberry. A major security operation surrounded him, with police officers and military personnel seen scouring the grounds ahead of Mr Trump teeing off. After touching down in Scotland in Air Force One on Friday night, the president was seen on the course at Turnberry on Saturday morning – although security fencing had also been erected around the resort, with road closures also in place to help protect Mr Trump, who last year survived an assassination attempt. Sniffer dogs were seen patrolling the golf course, with the Navy carrying out sweeps in the water beside the seaside course, while Army vehicles were spotted on the nearby A77 road. Police Scotland has asked for support from other forces across the UK to bolster officer numbers for the high profile visit – with Mr Swinney appealing to people to protest 'peacefully and within the law'. In Aberdeen Green north east Scotland MSP Maggie Chapman told the crowd of hundreds: 'We stand in solidarity not only against Trump but against everything he and his politics stand for.' Speaking about the US president, Ms Chapman said: 'He believes that climate change isn't real, he believes that cutting services for those in the world with the least is the right thing to do. We say no to all of those things, not in our name, never in our name.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. With Mr Trump having last year been convicted by a New York jury of falsifying business records, she said the president was a 'convicted felon'. And she told the PA news agency: 'He is not welcome in Scotland, he is certainly not welcome in Aberdeenshire. We know that he is a convicted felon. 'We also know that all of the promises he has repeatedly made to Scotland have come to nothing, there hasn't been the development of jobs or houses that he promised when he opened his course in Aberdeenshire a few years ago.' Mr Harvie was also critical of the president, telling PA: 'He's attacking our renewables industry once again, one of the success stories of Scotland, and he is trying to attack and undermine it. 'And that is after having trashed part of our natural environment on the Aberdeenshire coast to build his golf resort.' Anita Bhadani was one of those who organised the Stop Trump Coalition protest outside the US Consulate General's office in Edinburgh. She told PA: 'We are really excited, across this whole weekend, there's so many campaign groups turning out in the streets, tacking in action in their communities or at rallies like this – it's kind of like a carnival of resistance.' She said Mr Trump's 'huge promises' of creating thousands of jobs through development around his Scottish golf courses had not come to pass. A number of speakers addressed the crowd, condemning President Trump, including one who chanted 'death to the IDF'.
The Guardian
28 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Can Democratic socialists get Zohran Mamdani across the finish line?
Was it his charisma, communication skills or his captivating short-form videos? His high-profile endorsements or his clothing style? These elements were said to have contributed to Zohran Mamdani's record-setting success in New York's June mayoral primary. But another major factor in his win may have been his ties to the local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Known for its endorsement of the Vermont independent senator and socialist Bernie Sanders's run for president, as well its role in electing the New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the group has re-energized US left political movements in recent years, even while eliciting critique and fear from conservatives and some Democrats. In Mamdani's campaign, a stunning 60,000 volunteers knocked on 1.6m doors across New York City, home to 3.6m housing units. The effort reportedly led to conversations with a quarter of all New Yorkers who voted in the primary. Though the campaign has not yet released data showing how many of those volunteers were mobilized by NYC-DSA itself, Gustavo Gordillo, a co-chair of the chapter, says his organization turned out thousands. Though other organizations, such as the grassroots political group Drum Beats, also brought out volunteers, he said the chapter had an 'unparalleled field operation in New York City'. 'New York City DSA formed the heart of the field team,' he said. But the road ahead for Mamdani, who is a state assemblymember, may still be bumpy. Mainstream Democrats have been slow to embrace the democratic socialist, who ran on universalist material policies like a rent freeze and fast and free buses. In the past, centrists and conservatives have defeated DSA primary winners in elections that looked eminently winnable, such as India Walton in the 2021 Buffalo mayoral race. And rightwingers have already launched heavy smear campaigns against Mamdani, with polls showing the race could be tight. Fellow Democrat and former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, whom Mamdani defeated, switched to an independent party run just to stay in the game, and incumbent Eric Adams is vying to keep his seat. The Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf, a centrist, said: 'Mamdani's primary victory in the nation's cultural financial and media capital is the greatest challenge faced by traditional Democrats in more than 50 years. 'The future for the Democrats is unclear,' he said. Asked if mainstream Democrats should embrace the young socialist, he said much of the base the party needs to energize to win elections in New York and elsewhere is moving to the right, and 'will not accept' a socialist. Even so, NYC-DSA says it is ready for the battle, and if Mamdani wins, it could catapult the group from the sidelines to the center of the party. 'The opposition is in total disarray right now [and] their fragmentation is only going to be a source of weakness,' said Gordillo. 'We're ready to mount an offensive campaign that replays a lot of what succeeded in the primary with the army that we've amassed.' When formed in 1982, DSA had 6,000 members nationwide; that number grew modestly over the next 25 years. Then, in the mid-2010s, in the wake of democratic socialist Sanders's run for president – and Donald Trump's subsequent 2016 presidential victory – membership began to soar. Today, DSA boasts 80,000 members who oppose capitalism and advocate for the public ownership and democratic control of key sectors and resources such as healthcare, and the shift of power to workers from corporations. Though socialism was once a dirty word in the US, especially after crackdowns on socialists and communists in the 1950s, more than half of young Americans hold a positive view of it today, according to the rightwing Cato Institute thinktank. Though DSA factions have often sparred over the role elections and endorsements should play in the movement, the group has increasingly entered the sphere in recent years. The national group is supporting candidates in municipal elections from Ithaca, New York, to Atlanta, Georgia, with local chapters backing additional candidates in Boston's mayoral race, council runs in Richmond, California, Detroit, Michigan, and others. In Minneapolis, a DSA-backed mayoral candidate, state senator Omar Fateh won his primary this month, ; unlike Mamdani, Fateh has also won endorsement from local party officials. The New York City chapter, now home to 10,000 members, began prioritizing elections in 2017, creating an electoral working group. Since then, it has secured two New York City council seats and six New York state assembly seats, including Mamdani's, which he has held since 2020. Another 250-plus DSA-backed officials hold office nationwide, including progressive 'Squad' democrats in Congress: Rashida Tlaib and Greg Casar, and Chicago's mayor, Brandon Johnson. NYC-DSA employs a methodical volunteer model for each of its endorsed candidates. It has also been highly selective about who it chooses to support. 'You have to go speak to multiple branches of the chapter, talk to the electoral working group, go through multiple rounds of votes within DSA,' said the DSA-backed New York state senator Jabari Brisport, who represents a Brooklyn district. The robust endorsement pays off, Brisport said. 'When you're running with a DSA endorsement, you really have a whole operation of dedicated volunteers who want to advance socialism,' he said. 'They help with everything from field organizing to comms to fundraising.' For NYC-DSA, electoral campaigns are not only focused on single candidates but also on building support for their movement, said Phara Souffrant Forrest, another DSA state assemblymember from Brooklyn. 'When DSA campaigns for a candidate … we're organizing their district around shared values like housing justice, healthcare for all and workers' rights,' she said. The chapter does not use paid canvassers, though Mamdani's campaign hired roughly 50 for specialized outreach. 'Our main asset, which money can never buy, are volunteers who are passionate, who feel ownership over a campaign because the win would be personal for them,' said Sarahana Shrestha, a DSA assemblymember representing a south-eastern New York district. Her campaign brought in many voters who had otherwise 'given up on electoral politics', she said. DSA members appeared to do the same in the mayoral primary, mobilizing thousands of new voters. Some DSA endorsees – such as Ocasio-Cortez, who the group supported in her 2018 campaign – receive DSA backing upon request once they have launched their campaigns. Others, like Mamdani, are 'cadre candidates' who have strong pre-existing ties to the organization and are recruited by and from the chapter. Since joining NYC-DSA in 2017, Mamdani has been deeply involved with the organization, helping lead other electoral campaigns and working closely with the chapter on his successful 2020 assembly run. Once in office, Mamdani became an integral part of NYC-DSA's socialists in office committee, designed to facilitate chapter communications with elected socialists. Today, many of his staffers are chapter leaders. And when launching his mayoral campaign, 'he said that he would not run at all if he did not receive our endorsement,' the NYC-DSA organizer Michael Thomas Carter wrote in Drop Site News. 'While the coalition that coalesced around his campaign was much broader than NYC-DSA, in this very direct sense our organization is responsible for his mayoral run,' he wrote. This commitment to the chapter has been a throughline in Mamdani's career, said Gordillo. 'He's been really tested to learn how to exercise leadership while also being accountable to a base, because he's done that in DSA pretty often,' he said. Mamdani has championed some NYC-DSA campaigning efforts he did not pioneer, such as the successful fight for a bill to expand publicly owned renewable energy, which Gordillo helmed. But he has been a leader on other initiatives, such as the 'Not on Our Dime!' bill, which aims to pressure Israel to follow international law and on which he was the lead sponsor. (Ending US support for Israel's military is a key issue for DSA, whose national organization ended its support for Ocasio-Cortez and former New York congressman Jamaal Bowman over insufficient support for the issue.) That back-and-forth has continued through the mayoral campaign, with the chapter's political operatives also helping him make connections and shape his platform. 'He met with our Labor Working Group a lot to learn more about what were the top demands for different unions where we have a lot of member density,' said Gordillo, who is a union electrician by day. Mamdani won more votes than any other mayoral candidate in New York City primary election history. Brisport said that's a testament not only to the power of NYC-DSA's organizational skills, but also to the popularity of their political values. 'Clearly there is something in the air that is shifting, because open socialists are running for office and winning, showing that our ideas are good, workable things that people actually need,' he said. Mamdani's embrace of the democratic socialist label has been a boon for NYC-DSA, with about 4,000 members joining since he launched his mayoral campaign. It will also be a test for the chapter and for American socialism. 'Zohran ran as an open democratic socialist and the billionaire class, the most powerful forces in the world and in the city, are aligning against him,' Gordillo said. 'They will be finding every moment to amplify anything that they can say is a mistake or a failure, and because he ran in a way that was so tied to the movement, I think that any of his shortcomings will also be attributed to us.' The chapter is now preparing to mobilize volunteers around the general election, but also organizing to support Mamdani's key policies like a proposal to increase taxes on the rich. The organization is prepared to hold Mamdani accountable to socialist values, but also to communicate his successes to the public, said Gordillo. 'We will make sure that the billionaire class and corporate interests can't just fearmonger about him, or hide it when he fulfills his campaign promises,' he said. 'The fate of the left in New York rests on the success of the Mamdani administration, so ensuring that there is a successful mayoralty is going to have to become our top priority.'
Scotsman
an hour ago
- Scotsman
Donald Trump in Scotland: Hundreds protest outside US consulate against US president visit
Demonstrations were held while the US President was golfing at Turnberry Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Hundreds of people gathered outside the US consulate in Edinburgh on Saturday to protest against the visit of US President Donald Trump to Scotland, while a separate demonstration was held in Aberdeen. Protesters took to the streets with homemade signs and flags in opposition to the US President visit to Scotland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Protesters turned out with homemade signs and flags | The Scotsman Fiona McMillan, who attended the Edinburgh protest with her eight-year-old son and four-year-old daughter, said she 'hates' the fact Donald Trump has come to Scotland. Ms McMillan's son carried a sign saying "Go home Trump" | The Scotsman She is the daughter of an immigrant and was pregnant with her son when Mr Trump first came to power. She said his presidency has made her deeply worried about her children's future. 'It's really important to stand up to Trump. I hope that John Swinney will have a word with him about a few things, but I think world leaders are too scared to say anything,' she said. Kara Bickley, 52, also attended the protest with her daughters. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I'm here protesting because of the erosion of women's rights, reproductive rights, the environment, and the need to protect our children. It's the everyday erosion of stuff that really matters,' she said. Ms Bickley attended the protest with her friend, their husbands, and her two daughters. | The Scotsman She said she sees 'no reason' why the First Minister should meet with Mr Trump during his time in Scotland, especially while the President is on a private golf trip. 'Why are we spending all this money?' she said. Another protester, Julie-Ann Laidlaw, said: 'There's just so much to be horrified about. We can't just stand back and let this happen.' Ms Laidlaw's sign was one of many referencing the late comedian Janey Godley's infamous protest | The Scotsman As a comedy producer, Ms Laidlaw worked with the late comedian Janey Godley - who famously protested at Trump's golf course during one of his previous visits to the UK. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ms Godley died from cancer last year at the age of 63, but Ms Laidlaw said if she was here she would be 'shouting the loudest,'. 'I'm here on Janey's behalf,' she said. READ MORE: No warm welcome for Trump at Aberdeen protest Danielle Solof, from New Jersey, said as an American in Scotland, she 'can't seem to escape' Mr Trump. 'When I was growing up, I wanted to be a diplomat. I wanted to represent the country and do good work abroad, representing peace, justice and freedom. And I feel he is the complete opposite of all of that,' she said. Ms Solof said Mr Trump "doesn't respect the rule of law" and thinks everything "should just bend to his own will" | The Scotsman She is bringing a show to the Fringe in August about 'breaking up' with her home country. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad She said whether the First Minister should meet with Trump is a 'tricky question'. 'I think given Trump's personality, I think bad things could happen to the First Minister if he doesn't meet with him, and to Scotland. He will retaliate and punish them in some way,' she said. Many gathered to protest against the war in the Middle East, with some people banging pots and pans near the doorstep of the consulate denouncing the urgent hunger crisis in Gaza. 'It's just unthinkable. It's just so distressing. It's like every single day of our lives we're being traumatised knowing that this is going on,' said one protester, Simon Whatley, a designer and artist from Dalkeith.
