Trump Removes FEC Chair, Weintraub Clings To Power

President Donald Trump has fired Federal Election Commission (FEC) Chair Ellen Weintraub, but the Democrat appointee is refusing to accept her removal. Her reaction highlights just how determined she is to hold onto power, despite serving well past her original term.

Weintraub, who has been on the commission since 2002, received a letter from Trump on Thursday officially notifying her of her dismissal. “Dear Commissioner Weintraub, You are hereby removed as a Member of the Federal Election Commission effective immediately,” the letter read.

Rather than comply, Weintraub took to social media to claim Trump’s action was illegitimate. “Received a letter from POTUS today purporting to remove me as Commissioner & Chair of [the FEC]. There’s a legal way to replace FEC commissioners—this isn’t it,” she wrote.

Her resistance comes after years of using her position to challenge Trump. She has repeatedly dismissed concerns about election fraud and most recently supported an investigation into Trump over alleged payments to Stormy Daniels.

Weintraub’s term officially ended in 2007, but due to congressional inaction, she remained in her seat for nearly two decades. The FEC requires Senate confirmation for new members, and political gridlock has allowed Weintraub to hold onto her position.

Despite her refusal to step down, the FEC website listed her seat as vacant as of Friday morning. With her departure, the agency risks losing its quorum, potentially preventing it from enforcing election laws. The FEC has already canceled its next scheduled meeting on Feb. 13, raising further uncertainty about its operations.