On Thursday, Federal Election Commission (FEC) Chair Ellen Weintraub revealed that she had received a letter from President Donald Trump, notifying her of her removal from her role. This move is part of the broader shake-up of the federal government by the Trump administration.
In a post on social media, Weintraub shared that she had been removed as a Commissioner and Chair of the FEC through a letter signed by the President on January 31. The letter stated her immediate removal from the commission.
The FEC is responsible for regulating fundraising and spending by candidates for federal office and publishing disclosure reports. Weintraub, a Democrat, held one of the six commissioner positions on the FEC, which are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The commission is designed to have a balance of members from different political parties.
Weintraub, who has been serving on the FEC since 2002, was elected as the chair of the commission for 2025 in December. While commissioners are typically meant to serve a single six-year term, they can continue in their roles in the absence of replacements.
The Campaign Legal Center, a watchdog group focused on campaign finance, criticized Trump's removal of Weintraub, stating that the President could nominate new commissioners but chose to remove a single Democratic commissioner, which they deemed as contrary to the law.
Trevor Potter, a Republican former chair of the FEC and president of the Campaign Legal Center, emphasized that Trump's action was not in line with the law and urged the President to nominate new commissioners and allow Congress to fulfill its role of advice and consent.
