AFL-CIO on Trump’s Attempted Illegal Firing of Fed Board Member Lisa Cook

In response to President Trump's attempt to illegally fire Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler released the following statement: 

President Trump’s blatantly illegal attempted firing of Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve is an alarming escalation of his attack on independent federal agencies that working people’s jobs and livelihoods depend on. 

This comes after Trump fired Gwynne Wilcox from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Cathy Harris from her role as chair of the Merit Systems Protection Board and Erika McEntarfer from her role as commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). From the Federal Trade Commission to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, this is a pattern: The president is overreaching his legal authority to try to bend independent agencies to the political whims of the executive branch. 

These moves also risk the destabilization of our economy. If BLS can’t accurately report on inflation, then the Social Security Administration won’t be able to ensure that the payments seniors and people with disabilities rely on will keep up with the cost of living. If the Federal Reserve can’t make decisions about interest rates based on economic realities, employers could cut thousands of jobs and leave working people and their families without a paycheck at a time when they’re already struggling with skyrocketing costs. And we have already seen workers left without legal recourse for union-busting while the NLRB is stalled from functioning.

Congress and the courts must act to rein in the president’s attacks on independent federal agencies.

Contact: Prerna Jagadeesh, 202-637-5018