Latest news with #AlexanderHoehnSaric
CNN
17-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
US safety commissioners blast Trump appointee's delay of ruling on water beads
Water beads have long been criticized for being dangerous, even fatal, for kids. Now two members of a government watchdog are tearing into a decision by the acting chair of the body to delay a final ruling on the toys. For years, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which is responsible for issuing safety requirements and recalls of consumer products, has been stressing the danger of water beads. The agency said it is aware of a 10-month-old girl who died in 2023 related to swallowing water beads. The CPSC was scheduled to issue a final rule on water beads Wednesday, but two members of the commission say that it's been blocked without explanation. 'Yesterday, July 16, 2025, we were supposed to see a final rule that would have protected children from life-threatening hazards tied to water beads,' Consumer Product Safety Commission member Richard Trumka, Jr. said in a scathing statement Thursday. Instead acting chair Peter Feldman, who was nominated by President Donald Trump, 'blocked the agency from delivering on that promise, without even bothering to explain why,' Trumka, Jr. wrote. Trumka also accused Feldman of canceling this year's priorities hearing, in which consumers would share their testimonies about the dangers of water beads. 'Children's lives are too important for inaction. Acting Chair Feldman, it's time to get off the sidelines and start working for consumer safety,' Trumka wrote. Another commissioner, Alexander Hoehn-Saric, also issued a statement expressing disappointment with the delays on both draft final rules, urging Feldman 'to be transparent with the public and explain why.' Feldman and the CPSC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The stinging words come as the president has attempted to purge the independent watchdog of commissioners appointed by Biden, firing three members of the five-person commission in the past year before they were reinstated by judges. The case is pending before the Supreme Court. The tiny balls made out of extremely absorbent polymer material can expand to 100 times their initial size and weight when exposed to liquid – including liquids inside the body when they're ingested. When children swallow them, they're in danger of suffering a blocked digestive or respiratory tract, or poisoning by toxic chemicals. The CPSC currently has a warning for water beads and urges parents and caregivers to remove those products from any environment with children. Amazon, Walmart and Target all voluntarily stopped selling water beads marketed for children after pressure from consumers, the CPSC, lawmakers and public health officials. The CPSC is made up of four commissioners and the acting director, Feldman. Feldman was nominated by Trump to be a commissioner in his first term, was then renominated and confirmed, and became acting chairman in January 2025. In May, Trump fired three Biden-nominated CPSC commissioners – Trumka, Hoehn-Saric and Mary Boyle – before their terms ended. But in June, a federal district court reinstated those members. The Trump administration filed an appeal, asking the Supreme Court to step in on an emergency basis to permit the firings. Trump notched a victory in May when the Supreme Court said Trump didn't have to re-hire officials at two independent federal labor agencies. The CPSC also delayed a ruling last week on button battery hazards in childrens' toys without explanation. When these small batteries are swallowed, a child's saliva could connect the circuit which could then burn the child's esophagus. CNN's Shania Shelton and Michael Williams contributed to this report.
CNN
17-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
US safety commissioners blast Trump appointee's delay of ruling on water beads
Water beads have long been criticized for being dangerous, even fatal, for kids. Now two members of a government watchdog are tearing into a decision by the acting chair of the body to delay a final ruling on the toys. For years, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which is responsible for issuing safety requirements and recalls of consumer products, has been stressing the danger of water beads. The agency said it is aware of a 10-month-old girl who died in 2023 related to swallowing water beads. The CPSC was scheduled to issue a final rule on water beads Wednesday, but two members of the commission say that it's been blocked without explanation. 'Yesterday, July 16, 2025, we were supposed to see a final rule that would have protected children from life-threatening hazards tied to water beads,' Consumer Product Safety Commission member Richard Trumka, Jr. said in a scathing statement Thursday. Instead acting chair Peter Feldman, who was nominated by President Donald Trump, 'blocked the agency from delivering on that promise, without even bothering to explain why,' Trumka, Jr. wrote. Trumka also accused Feldman of canceling this year's priorities hearing, in which consumers would share their testimonies about the dangers of water beads. 'Children's lives are too important for inaction. Acting Chair Feldman, it's time to get off the sidelines and start working for consumer safety,' Trumka wrote. Another commissioner, Alexander Hoehn-Saric, also issued a statement expressing disappointment with the delays on both draft final rules, urging Feldman 'to be transparent with the public and explain why.' Feldman and the CPSC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The stinging words come as the president has attempted to purge the independent watchdog of commissioners appointed by Biden, firing three members of the five-person commission in the past year before they were reinstated by judges. The case is pending before the Supreme Court. The tiny balls made out of extremely absorbent polymer material can expand to 100 times their initial size and weight when exposed to liquid – including liquids inside the body when they're ingested. When children swallow them, they're in danger of suffering a blocked digestive or respiratory tract, or poisoning by toxic chemicals. The CPSC currently has a warning for water beads and urges parents and caregivers to remove those products from any environment with children. Amazon, Walmart and Target all voluntarily stopped selling water beads marketed for children after pressure from consumers, the CPSC, lawmakers and public health officials. The CPSC is made up of four commissioners and the acting director, Feldman. Feldman was nominated by Trump to be a commissioner in his first term, was then renominated and confirmed, and became acting chairman in January 2025. In May, Trump fired three Biden-nominated CPSC commissioners – Trumka, Hoehn-Saric and Mary Boyle – before their terms ended. But in June, a federal district court reinstated those members. The Trump administration filed an appeal, asking the Supreme Court to step in on an emergency basis to permit the firings. Trump notched a victory in May when the Supreme Court said Trump didn't have to re-hire officials at two independent federal labor agencies. The CPSC also delayed a ruling last week on button battery hazards in childrens' toys without explanation. When these small batteries are swallowed, a child's saliva could connect the circuit which could then burn the child's esophagus. CNN's Shania Shelton and Michael Williams contributed to this report.
CNN
17-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
US safety commissioners blast Trump appointee's delay of ruling on water beads
Water beads have long been criticized for being dangerous, even fatal, for kids. Now two members of a government watchdog are tearing into a decision by the acting chair of the body to delay a final ruling on the toys. For years, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which is responsible for issuing safety requirements and recalls of consumer products, has been stressing the danger of water beads. The agency said it is aware of a 10-month-old girl who died in 2023 related to swallowing water beads. The CPSC was scheduled to issue a final rule on water beads Wednesday, but two members of the commission say that it's been blocked without explanation. 'Yesterday, July 16, 2025, we were supposed to see a final rule that would have protected children from life-threatening hazards tied to water beads,' Consumer Product Safety Commission member Richard Trumka, Jr. said in a scathing statement Thursday. Instead acting chair Peter Feldman, who was nominated by President Donald Trump, 'blocked the agency from delivering on that promise, without even bothering to explain why,' Trumka, Jr. wrote. Trumka also accused Feldman of canceling this year's priorities hearing, in which consumers would share their testimonies about the dangers of water beads. 'Children's lives are too important for inaction. Acting Chair Feldman, it's time to get off the sidelines and start working for consumer safety,' Trumka wrote. Another commissioner, Alexander Hoehn-Saric, also issued a statement expressing disappointment with the delays on both draft final rules, urging Feldman 'to be transparent with the public and explain why.' Feldman and the CPSC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The stinging words come as the president has attempted to purge the independent watchdog of commissioners appointed by Biden, firing three members of the five-person commission in the past year before they were reinstated by judges. The case is pending before the Supreme Court. The tiny balls made out of extremely absorbent polymer material can expand to 100 times their initial size and weight when exposed to liquid – including liquids inside the body when they're ingested. When children swallow them, they're in danger of suffering a blocked digestive or respiratory tract, or poisoning by toxic chemicals. The CPSC currently has a warning for water beads and urges parents and caregivers to remove those products from any environment with children. Amazon, Walmart and Target all voluntarily stopped selling water beads marketed for children after pressure from consumers, the CPSC, lawmakers and public health officials. The CPSC is made up of four commissioners and the acting director, Feldman. Feldman was nominated by Trump to be a commissioner in his first term, was then renominated and confirmed, and became acting chairman in January 2025. In May, Trump fired three Biden-nominated CPSC commissioners – Trumka, Hoehn-Saric and Mary Boyle – before their terms ended. But in June, a federal district court reinstated those members. The Trump administration filed an appeal, asking the Supreme Court to step in on an emergency basis to permit the firings. Trump notched a victory in May when the Supreme Court said Trump didn't have to re-hire officials at two independent federal labor agencies. The CPSC also delayed a ruling last week on button battery hazards in childrens' toys without explanation. When these small batteries are swallowed, a child's saliva could connect the circuit which could then burn the child's esophagus. CNN's Shania Shelton and Michael Williams contributed to this report.
Fox News
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Trump turns to Supreme Court in fight to oust Biden-era consumer safety officials
President Donald Trump's Justice Department filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court on Wednesday, seeking to overturn lower court rulings that blocked the administration from firing three Biden-appointed regulators. The emergency appeal asks the High Court to allow the Trump administration to fire three members of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), a five-member independent regulatory board that sets standards and oversees safety for thousands of consumer products. The appeal comes after the Supreme Court, in May, granted a separate emergency appeal request from the Trump administration pertaining to the firing of two Biden-appointed agency officials from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). "It's outrageous that we must once again seek Supreme Court intervention because rogue leftist judges in lower courts continue to defy the high court's clear rulings," said White House spokesperson Harrison Fields. "The Supreme Court decisively upheld the president's constitutional authority to fire and remove executive officers exercising his power, yet this ongoing assault by activist judges undermines that victory," he continued. "President Trump remains committed to fulfilling the American people's mandate by effectively leading the executive branch, despite these relentless obstructions." Mary Boyle, Alexander Hoehn-Saric and Richard Trumka Jr. were appointed to serve seven-year terms on the independent government agency by former President Joe Biden. Their positions have historically been protected from retribution, as they can only be terminated for neglect or malfeasance. After Trump attempted to fire the three Democratic regulators, they sued, arguing the president sought to remove them without due cause. Eventually, a federal judge in Maryland agreed with them, and this week an appeals court upheld that ruling. However, according to the emergency appeal from the Trump administration, submitted to the High Court on Wednesday morning, the three regulators in question have shown "hostility to the President's agenda" and taken actions that have "thrown the agency into chaos." The emergency appeal to the Supreme Court added that "none of this should be possible" after the High Court ruled in favor of the Trump administration's decision to fire two executive branch labor relations officials. "None of this should be possible after Wilcox, which squarely controls this case. Like the NLRB and MSPB in Wilcox, the CPSC exercises 'considerable executive power,' 145 S. Ct. at 1415—for instance, by issuing rules, adjudicating administrative proceedings, issuing subpoenas, bringing enforcement suits seeking civil penalties, and (with the concurrence of the Attorney General) even prosecuting criminal cases," Solicitor General John Sauer wrote in the emergency appeal to the Supreme Court. The request, according to Politico, will go to Chief Justice John Roberts, who is in charge of emergency appeals stemming from the appeals court that upheld the previous Maryland court ruling blocking the Trump administration's firings.
CBS News
02-07-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Trump asks Supreme Court to let him fire members of Consumer Product Safety Commission
Washington — President Trump's administration asked the Supreme Court on Wednesday to allow him to fire three members of the independent Consumer Product Safety Commission. The request to the high court by Solicitor General D. John Sauer arose from a federal judge's decision earlier this month that found Mr. Trump's removal of the three commissioners — Mary Boyle, Alexander Hoehn-Saric and Richard Trumka Jr. — was unlawful and blocked their terminations. The officials had been named to the five-member Consumer Product Safety Commission by former President Joe Biden for seven-year terms. Boyle's term was set to end in October, Hoehn-Saric's time on the panel was due to end in October 2027 and Trumka's in October 2028. The commission sets consumer product safety standards, can order product recalls and bring civil suits against companies. The three members were told in May that their positions were terminated, effective immediately. Under federal law, a president cannot remove a commissioner at-will, but only for neglect of duty or malfeasance. Removal restrictions like those governing the Consumer Product Safety Commission have been put in place by Congress to insulate independent agencies from politics. But Mr. Trump has sought to test his removal powers through a series of firings targeting members of those entities. Following their firings, the commissioners sued and asked a federal judge in Maryland, where the Consumer Product Safety Commission is headquartered, to restore them to their positions. They succeeded in their bid earlier this month, when U.S. District Judge Matthew Maddox allowed the three commissioners to resume their roles. "Depriving this five-member commission of three of its sitting members threatens severe impairment of its ability to fulfill its statutory mandates and advance the public's interest in safe consumer products," Maddox wrote in his decision. "This hardship and threat to public safety significantly outweighs any hardship defendants might suffer from plaintiffs' participation on the CPSC." A unanimous panel of three judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit declined to block the district court's decision and allow Mr. Trump to fire the commissioners. The commissioners, Judge James Wynn wrote in a brief opinion, "were appointed to serve fixed terms with statutory protections designed to preserve the commission's independence and partisan balance. Permitting their unlawful removal would thwart that purpose and deprive the public of the commission's full expertise and oversight. And because the attempted removals were unlawful, the Plaintiff-Commissioners never ceased to lawfully occupy their offices." Sauer's emergency appeal to the Supreme Court is the third involving the president's power to remove executive officers, which the administration has argued is generally unrestricted. The justices in May cleared the way for Mr. Trump to remove without cause two members of two federal independent labor boards while legal fights over their terminations move forward. Over the dissent of the three liberal justices, the high court said in its unsigned decision that it "reflects our judgment that the government faces greater risk of harm from an order allowing a removed officer to continue exercising the executive power than a wrongfully removed officer faces from being unable to perform her statutory duty." Sauer said that May decision from the high court regarding the earlier removals should have foreclosed the reinstatement of the Consumer Product Safety Commission members. The district court's order, he wrote, effectively transfers control of the panel from Mr. Trump to three members who were appointed by his predecessor. "That plain-as-day affront to the President's fundamental Article II powers warrants intervention now," the solicitor general wrote. Sauer asked the high court to act immediately and issue a brief administrative stay that would allow it more time to consider his request for emergency relief. Lawyers for the commissioners opposed that request for swift action, noting that they have been serving in their roles in the nearly three weeks since the district judge ruled in their favor. The Trump administration, the lawyers said, did not identify any harm that would stem from the commissioner's continued service during the time it will take for the Supreme Court to rule.
