President Donald Trump will soon be able to use his famous catchphrase against the head of a troubled federal agency, the Fair Housing Finance Agency, which is led by a single Obama appointee with no meaningful oversight from the president.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled this week that the agency’s structure is unconstitutional.
In Collins v. Mnuchin, a three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit issued a per curiam opinion holding that Congress unconstitutionally “insulated the [Fair Housing Finance Agency] to the point where the executive branch cannot control the [agency] or hold it accountable.”
The judges sent the case back to the district court, ordering it to strike down a statutory limit (in 12 U.S.C. § 4512(b)(2)) on the president’s power to remove the agency’s director.
This is an important decision for our government’s separation of powers and for keeping the executive branch agencies accountable to the president.
At the 5th Circuit’s direction, the district court will now have to strike the provision of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 that limits the president’s power to fire the Fair Housing Finance Agency director, thus “restoring executive branch oversight to the [agency].”
As a result, the president will soon be able to tell the agency’s director, “You’re fired.” – READ MORE
[divider][/divider]After Bill Clinton literally soiled the Oval Office (and that famous blue dress), George W. Bush vowed to “restore honor and dignity” to the White House.
Donald Trump made a similar pledge when he campaigned, promising to “drain the swamp” that is Washington, D.C. And remarkably, he’s done just that (at least the swamp monsters that dwell in 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue).
From June 30, 2017 to June 30 this year, 141 people who worked for the president have hit the bricks. That’s some 37% of the staff. Some 56% of the “highest-ranking people in Trump’s White House named in last year’s payroll report have since left or have announced they will soon leave,” the Daily Mail reported this month.
Many were fired or pushed out. Those sudden desires to “spend more time with family?” Nuh-uh. There’s a new CEO in town, and this one not only has no problem saying, “You’re fired,” but the onetime star of “The Apprentice” reality TV show also seems to enjoy it.
In Trump’s White House, staffers really do work at the pleasure of the president. Displease him and — poof — you’re gone. – READ MORE
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