FEC Chairwoman Rejects Trump’s Attempt To Remove Her

Federal Election Commission Chairwoman Ellen Weintraub has made it clear that she is not stepping down from her position, despite receiving a letter from President Donald Trump stating that she was being removed.

Weintraub took to social media to post the letter, asserting that she had no intention of leaving because she believes the removal is not legally valid.

“Received a letter from POTUS today purporting to remove me as Commissioner & Chair of @FEC,” Weintraub wrote on X. “There’s a legal way to replace FEC commissioners—this isn’t it. I’ve been lucky to serve the American people & stir up some good trouble along the way. That’s not changing anytime soon.”

She included an image of the letter in her post. Dated January 31, the document from the White House stated, “You are hereby removed as a Member of the Federal Election Commission, effective immediately. Thank you for your service on the Commission.”

Weintraub is currently one of three Democrats on the FEC, alongside two Republicans, with one seat remaining vacant.

Critics have questioned the legality of Trump’s move, noting that he previously dismissed over a dozen inspectors general within his first week in office. This led to Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) sending a letter requesting an explanation for the dismissals and why Congress was not informed in advance.

Since the start of the Trump administration, one of the main objectives has been to enact significant reforms within the federal government. Many of these actions have faced strong opposition from Democrats, and Weintraub’s public response quickly prompted a reaction from Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD).

“Trump’s political purge continues with this illegal dismissal of Democrat Ellen Weintraub from the FEC,” Raskin posted on X.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has been at the forefront of efforts to reduce government expenditures, leading to widespread expectations that numerous government positions will be cut in the near future.

This development coincided with an unexpected confrontation in House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office, where Democratic Representatives Judy Chu (D-Calif.) and Gwen Moore (D-Wisc.) confronted him over Musk’s team gaining access to a Treasury Department payment system.

Their arrival happened shortly after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with Johnson to discuss the implementation of Trump’s tax policies. The meeting occurred amid mounting Democratic resistance to Musk’s influence within the federal government.

However, Moore indicated that when she and Chu entered Johnson’s office, Bessent was no longer there, as reported by Politico.

“Gwen Moore forced her way in there, and then I got to go in right behind her,” Chu told reporters. “And she was already confronting Speaker Johnson about Treasury Secretary Bessent and the stealing of Americans’ private information, tax information that should never be stolen and given to this billionaire Elon Musk.”

Last weekend, while meeting with House Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.), Bessent reportedly granted members of Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency access to the payment system. This system is responsible for handling trillions of dollars in tax refunds, Social Security payments, and other essential government transactions.

According to the Treasury Department, Musk’s team currently has "read-only" access, and their review “is not resulting” in any interruptions or delays in federal agency-approved payments.

A witness to the confrontation in Johnson’s office criticized the two representatives’ actions.

“In the face of incredibly rude, extremely aggressive and frankly unhinged behavior, the Speaker was more than gracious and allowed the members into his personal office to hear their concerns,” said the individual, who requested anonymity to discuss the matter freely.

However, Chu’s spokesperson refuted that characterization.

“She never barged, or shoved her way, into anything. She politely joined the meeting already occurring and the Speaker invited her in for a brief, civil discussion. The Secretary was not present, and she left immediately afterwards,” stated Chu’s communications director, Graeme Crews.