Trump issued an executive order in February suggesting he wanted control over the FEC and independent agencies. On Tuesday, the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee filed a federal civil lawsuit for a preliminary injunction.
Democrats are concerned that if Trump is granted additional control, they won’t receive fair treatment from the FEC.
“DNC, DSCC, and DCCC also all rely on impartial guidance from the FEC for virtually everything they do—soliciting contributions, making expenditures and other disbursements, coordinating campaign activity, and reporting to the Commission,” the groups said in their initial court filing on Feb. 28. “Their ability to solicit rulemakings and advisory opinions and to file or defend against complaints will be severely impaired if those requests are to be resolved under the binding legal interpretations of a political opponent instead of a bipartisan commission of experts.”
Trump said in his order that “officials who wield vast executive power must be supervised and controlled by the people’s elected President. ”
“Therefore, in order to improve the administration of the executive branch and to increase regulatory officials’ accountability to the American people, it shall be the policy of the executive branch to ensure Presidential supervision and control of the entire executive branch,” the president’s order said.
It also commands agencies to submit any proposed and “final significant regulatory actions” from executive departments and agencies, “including so-called independent agencies,” before they are published in the Federal Register.
The Democratic Party argued it has already felt the effects of Trump’s executive order. Its employees have feared that using “any new or different approach” to fundraising or communications could result in an FEC complaint, according to their memorandum filed on Tuesday.
A refrain from reforming their election strategies could be especially damaging to a Democratic Party looking to change course after a disastrous 2024 election cycle in which they failed to capture the White House, House or Senate.
They assume a possible complaint wouldn’t resolve in their favor. “Although previously, Plaintiffs could expect that any complaint lodged against them would be resolved in an evenhanded manner, Plaintiffs now anticipate that President Trump and Attorney General Bondi will ensure an adverse ruling to thwart their efforts to raise money, reach new audiences, and support their candidates,” the filing requesting an injunction said.
The Biden-appointed judge, Ali, also ruled on Tuesday against the Trump administration in its case surrounding the United States Agency for International Development, ordering the federal government to pay nearly $2 billion in aid to foreign recipients.
TRACKING WHAT DOGE IS DOING ACROSS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Trump has exerted his power over the FEC in other ways. He fired FEC Chairwoman Ellen Weintraub, who insisted she should stay and that her removal was illegal. “Received a letter from POTUS today purporting to remove me as Commissioner & Chair of @FEC,” Weintraub said in a Feb. 6 post on X. “There’s a legal way to replace FEC commissioners-this isn’t it. I’ve been lucky to serve the American people & stir up some good trouble along the way. That’s not changing anytime soon.”
Weintraub, a Democrat, has since been removed from the FEC’s website.
