The Supreme Court ruled that Donald Trump's firing of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook was unconstitutional, in a landmark decision limiting presidential authority over the central bank. The court held that Trump lacked constitutional power to remove a Fed governor without cause, marking a significant victory for the Federal Reserve, which has faced White House pressure over the past year.
Separate Ruling Allows Firing of Independent Agency Leaders
In a contrasting decision, the justices ruled that Trump can fire leaders of independent agencies or commissions, overturning 90 years of legal precedent that restricted executive power. This case centered on Rebecca Slaughter, whom Trump dismissed as Federal Trade Commission member in March 2024 via email, stating her continued service would be “inconsistent with [the] administration’s priorities.”
Trump Loses Bid to Overturn E. Jean Carroll Verdict
The court dealt Trump another defeat by refusing to hear his appeal to overturn a $5 million verdict in favor of E. Jean Carroll. In 2023, a jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing the former magazine columnist and subsequently defaming her. The high court declined the case in a brief, unexplained order with no noted dissents, leaving the $5 million civil judgment intact.
Mail-In Ballot Ruling Upholds Post-Election Counting
The Supreme Court sided against national Republicans and the Trump administration, allowing mail-in ballots that arrive after election day to be counted. The decision upholds laws in over a dozen states. The Republican National Committee had challenged a Mississippi law permitting mailed ballots to be counted if they arrive within five business days of election day, provided they were postmarked by election day. Liberal justices cited federal laws allowing grace periods and noted that a ruling could also affect early voting practices.
CNN Defamation Lawsuit Dismissed
The court refused to revive a $300 million defamation lawsuit filed by prominent attorney Alan Dershowitz against CNN. Dershowitz claimed the network aired only a portion of his remarks made while defending Trump during the 2020 impeachment, distorting his meaning to suggest he had “lost his mind.” CNN argued that multiple outlets interpreted his remarks similarly and that Dershowitz failed to prove the network intended to mischaracterize him. The majority declined to hear the case in a brief, unexplained order.
Geofence Warrant Case Sent Back to Lower Court
Finally, the Supreme Court threw out a lower court decision involving Virginia man Okello Chatrie’s challenge to a “geofence” warrant used by police to access cellphone location data near a crime scene, leading to his conviction for armed robbery. The justices agreed that a search had occurred but sent the case back to the lower court for further analysis.
