{"id":2400196,"date":"2025-02-07T09:30:01","date_gmt":"2025-02-07T14:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/federal-elections-chief-refuses-to-leave-after-trump-fires-her-vows-to-dig-in-and-cause-trouble\/"},"modified":"2025-02-07T09:31:26","modified_gmt":"2025-02-07T14:31:26","slug":"federal-elections-chief-refuses-to-leave-after-trump-fires-her-vows-to-dig-in-and-cause-trouble","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/federal-elections-chief-refuses-to-leave-after-trump-fires-her-vows-to-dig-in-and-cause-trouble\/","title":{"rendered":"Federal Elections Chief Refuses to Leave After Trump Fires Her, Vows to Dig In and Cause &#8216;Trouble&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">34<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffederal-elections-chief-refuses-to-leave-after-trump-fires-her-vows-to-dig-in-and-cause-trouble%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2400196&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Ellen\u200c Weintraub, a commissioner and chair\u200b of the Federal Election commission (FEC), \u200chas publicly stated her intent to remain in her \u200bposition despite President\u200d Donald Trump&#8217;s\u200d attempt to remove\u2064 her. In a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-this-average-american-is-voting-for-donald-trump\/\" title=\"Why This Average American Is Voting for ...\">social media post<\/a>, she asserted that there is a legal process for replacing FEC commissioners and that her removal does not follow that \u200dprocedure. Weintraub has\u200b been a notable critic \u200dof Trump, having voted to \u2062investigate various\u2063 allegations \u200bagainst him, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/a-gay-activist-group-gave-free-bus-tickets-to-minorities-and-trans-people-it-likely-violated-civil-rights-law\/\" title=\"A Gay Activist Group Gave Free Bus Tickets to Minorities and Trans People. It Likely Violated Civil Rights Law.\">including potential violations<\/a> \u2063of \u200b<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/march-for-our-lives-issue-biden-1-billion-list-of-gun-control-policy-demands\/\" title=\"March For Our Lives Issue Biden  Billion List Of Gun Control Policy Demands\">campaign finance laws<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Her <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doesnt-secure-the-border-top-republican-senator-comes-out-against-border-bill\/\" title=\"Top GOP Senator Rejects Border Bill for Failing to Secure Border\">stance reflects broader concerns<\/a> among Democrats, who view Trump&#8217;s action as\u2062 indicative of corruption, particularly as the FEC is currently handling complaints related to the president. Former FEC officials have pointed out that Trump&#8217;s attempt to fire Weintraub \u2064would disrupt established \u200blegal precedents\u200c regarding the independence of the commission. While commissioners typically serve six-year terms, Weintraub has \u200cremained in her role beyond the expiration of her term, which ended in \u200d2007.\u200b Thus far, she has indicated that she will not resign willingly, and the situation could lead to further legal challenges regarding\u200c her \u200dstatus and the treatment of FEC commissioners.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_0)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>A prominent critic of Donald Trump, who serves on the Federal Election Commission, is vowing to stay in her job despite being fired by the president, arguing that executive removal is not the way to remove an FEC commissioner.<\/p>\n<p>In a social media missive Thursday after she was told she was being relieved of her position, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/somebodys-lying-remember-federal-election-commission-rejected-complaints-twitter-censorship\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Federal Election Commission<\/a> Commissioner and Chair Ellen Weintraub said she wasn&rsquo;t going anywhere.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Received a letter from POTUS today purporting to remove me as Commissioner &amp; Chair of [the FEC],&rdquo; Weintraub wrote.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There&rsquo;s a legal way to replace FEC commissioners &mdash; this isn&rsquo;t it. I&rsquo;ve been lucky to serve the American people &amp; stir up some good trouble along the way. That&rsquo;s not changing anytime soon.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Received a letter from POTUS today purporting to remove me as Commissioner &amp; Chair of <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FEC?\">@FEC<\/a>. There&rsquo;s a legal way to replace FEC commissioners-this isn&rsquo;t it. I&rsquo;ve been lucky to serve the American people &amp; stir up some good trouble along the way. That&rsquo;s not changing anytime soon. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/7voecN2vpj\">pic.twitter.com\/7voecN2vpj<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Ellen L. Weintraub (@ellenlweintraub.bsky.social) (@EllenLWeintraub) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/EllenLWeintraub\/status\/1887648967300694270?\">February 6, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\tif ( getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"stnvideo\").remove() \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>As <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2025-02-07\/trump-fires-head-of-fec-but-ellen-weintraub-won-t-leave\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bloomberg<\/a> noted, Weintraub is one of three Democrats on the six-person commission, which is always split between representatives of the two parties. However, she&rsquo;s &ldquo;voted to investigate the president over allegations involving violation of rules barring coordination between his campaign and <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">allied super political action committees<\/a> and matters regarding accusations that Russia tried to influence the outcome of the 2016 election,&rdquo; the outlet noted.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;She also voted to investigate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/now-2-percent-federal-government-workforce-taken-trumps-exit-deal-exodus-40000-growing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Trump<\/a> for promoting some of his businesses, including hotels, golf courses, bottled water and winery, during the 2016 campaign, including at rallies.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The FEC deadlocked 3-3 in that case as it did in many others involving Trump, with the three Republican commissioners voting against pursuing further inquiries. To proceed with an investigation, four votes are required.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Democrats were predictably outraged.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This onslaught against the FEC &mdash; when that agency is currently reviewing complaints against the president &mdash; reeks of corruption,&rdquo; said New York Rep. Joe Morello, ranking member of the House Administration Committee.<\/p>\n<p>As for whether or not <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/flashback-biden-literally-got-locked-out-of-white-house-after-firing-trump-employee\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the firing<\/a> holds water, that&rsquo;s an open question.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2025\/02\/07\/fec-commissioner-trump-removed-from-office-letter\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Axios<\/a> talked to former FEC Commissioner and Chair Trevor Potter, appointed by former President George H.W. Bush, who said firing Weintraub would upend &ldquo;generations of Supreme Court precedent.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Congress explicitly, and intentionally, created the FEC to be an independent, bipartisan federal agency whose commissioners are confirmed by Congress to serve the vital role of protecting the democratic rights of American voters,&rdquo; Potter said.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;As the only agency that regulates the president, Congress intentionally did not grant the president the power to fire FEC commissioners.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>However, as Tiffany Donnelly at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ifs.org\/blog\/ellen-weintraub-to-serve-as-fec-chair-again\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Institute for Free Speech<\/a> noted, Weintraub&rsquo;s case represents an outlier.<\/p>\n<p>FEC commissioners are supposed to serve six-year terms. Weintraub was appointed by then-President George W. Bush, which would have meant her term would have ended long ago &mdash; no matter when during his presidency she was appointed.<\/p>\n<p>As it turns out, that term ended during Bush&rsquo;s presidency: April 30, 2007, since she was appointed in 2002.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;But Weintraub never left the FEC. Over 22 years after being appointed and 17 years after her term expired, Ellen Weintraub still serves as an FEC Commissioner,&rdquo; Donnelly wrote. &ldquo;By statute, FEC commissioners are supposed to be limited to one six-year term. They are permitted to stay in office as &lsquo;acting&rsquo; commissioners until their successor is appointed.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;No one ever thought, however, that &lsquo;acting&rsquo; could mean &lsquo;over two decades.&rsquo;&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>One thing&rsquo;s for sure, though: No matter how long ago her term may have expired, Weintraub doesn&rsquo;t plan to go anywhere &mdash; and if her case goes to court, it could have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/now-2-percent-federal-government-workforce-taken-trumps-exit-deal-exodus-40000-growing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ramifications for other dismissals<\/a> the new administration wishes to pursue.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]]=document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display='block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src=firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id']=firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting=jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display='block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> \t     \t\t\t\t\t\t     \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><script>console.log(\"ad slot (BA1)\")<\/script> \t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<style> \t\t\t \t\t\t.insticator-unit.type-commenting{margin: 0 10px 25px 10px}@media screen and (max-width:1060px){#div-insticator-ad-cmt-1, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-2, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-3, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-4{margin: 0 auto 25px auto !important;}}#div-insticator-ad-cmt-1, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-2, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-3, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-4{height: 280px !important; width: 336px !important} \t\t<\/style>\n<div class=\"insticator-unit type-commenting\">\n<div class=\"insticator-ads\"> \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t<script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\t\t\tif ( ! getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-1\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-2\"); \t\t\t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-1\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-2\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t<\/script> \t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"insticator-ads additional\"> \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t<script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\t\t\tif ( ! getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-3\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-4\"); \t\t\t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-3\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-4\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t<\/script> \t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A notable critic of Donald Trump, who is a member of the Federal Election Commission, has pledged to remain in her position despite being dismissed by the president. She contends that the proper procedure for removing an FEC commissioner does not involve executive action. Following her notification of termination, FEC Commissioner and Chair Ellen Weintraub expressed on social media that she intends to continue serving. She stated, &#8220;I received a letter from POTUS today claiming to remove me as Commissioner &amp; Chair of [the FEC]. There\u2019s a legal process for replacing FEC commissioners\u2014this isn\u2019t it. I\u2019ve been fortunate to serve the American people and create some positive change along the way. That won\u2019t be changing anytime soon.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2400197,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ellen-Weintraub.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[49999],"class_list":["post-2400196","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-federalelections-electionintegrity-trumpadministration-politicalresilience-publicservant"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ellen-Weintraub.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2400196","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2400196"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2400196\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2400200,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2400196\/revisions\/2400200"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2400197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2400196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2400196"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2400196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}