In May 2025, the Trump Administration, asserting Executive authority, terminated the three Democratic Commissioners of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. On June 13, 2025, a Maryland district court aborted the without-cause termination while a legal challenge proceeds, leaving the Commissioners in place. No longer.
On July 23, 2025, the Supreme Court granted an emergency request and stayed the district court’s blocking order. The six-Justice majority reasoned that the harm to the government from the stay order outweighs a Commissioner’s inability to perform his or her statutory duty.
While the majority ruling was unsigned, three Justices by name dissented, declaring this an unwarranted use of the Court’s stay authority.
Crowell will be monitoring developments as they unfold.