A coalition of US Democratic committees filed a lawsuit on Friday challenging President Donald Trump’s February 18 executive order extending his control over independent agencies. The lawsuit centered on authority over the Federal Election Commission (FEC), an independent agency charged with enforcing federal campaign finance laws.
Plaintiffs stated that the “unprecedented assertion of presidential power,” directly conflicted with Congress’ intent in establishing the FEC. The lawsuit cited several aspects of the FEC to show the agency’s intended independent status. Plaintiffs first pointed to the required appointment of an equal number of Democrat and Republican commissioners with staggered appointments designed to prevent a president from appointing a majority during a single term. The lawsuit also cites the requirement that commissioners be appointed based on “experience, integrity, impartiality, and good judgment,” and commissioners may not be selected from current appointed or elected federal government officials. Finally, plaintiffs cited House Reports stating that the agency was designed to be independent to “not provide room for partisan misuse.”
In the prayer for relief, plaintiffs asked the court to enjoin the Trump administration from exercising authority over the FEC and declare the executive order as applied to the FEC unlawful.
Executive Order 14215 declared that independent regulatory agencies, including the FEC, must be under presidential control. The order asserted that the President and Attorney General’s legal interpretations are binding on all federal employees, eliminating the FEC’s independent decision-making authority. Democrats alleged that by allowing the controlling political party to assert influence they may “disadvantage… electoral competitors.”
Both Democrats and Republicans frequently file complaints with the FEC. In 2024, Trump filed a complaint against the Harris campaign for allegedly accepting illegal foreign contributions. The FEC also reveals how political campaign contributions are spent. A 2023 report on Trump’s spending showed nearly $20 million spent on legal fees.
