Humphrey's Slaughter
Previewing Trump v. Slaughter
Welcome back to Lex Liberas, home to discussions of the world’s finest constitution and the legal tradition surrounding it. Each Sunday I send out a newsletter recapping the past week in constitutional law, and on Fridays like these, I explore a subject in-depth.
Due to the holiday, this will be the first article since before Thanksgiving, but it will cover enough ground to punch above its weight. Before reading though, please share this blog with a friend!
Alright, let’s get into it!
On Monday, December 8, the Supreme Court will hear one of the most consequential constitutional cases in living memory. In Trump v. Slaughter, Rebecca Slaughter, a Democratic appointee to the FTC who was fired by President Trump earlier this year, will fight to remain in office. At the core of the case, the real defendant is a 90-year-old precedent, Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, and by extension, the entire architecture of the modern independent administrative state.
