Ellen Weintraub, the Democrat chairwoman of the Federal Election Commission (FEC), is refusing to step down after being fired by President Donald Trump. Trump’s move to remove her is part of his ongoing effort to clean house and eliminate officials who have used their positions against him. Weintraub’s reaction only confirms why she was the right choice for dismissal.
Weintraub, originally appointed in 2002 through a recess appointment by President George W. Bush, has remained in her role far beyond her six-year term, which officially ended in 2007. For nearly two decades, she has held onto her position due to Senate delays in confirming a replacement. On Thursday, Trump sent her a letter stating, “Dear Commissioner Weintraub, You are hereby removed as a Member of the Federal Election Commission effective immediately.”
Instead of stepping down, Weintraub immediately pushed back, posting on X: “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.”
Her refusal to accept removal follows years of using her position to go after Trump. Weintraub has repeatedly dismissed concerns about election integrity and instead pursued Trump over alleged campaign finance violations, including accusations related to Stormy Daniels.
The FEC, which requires at least four commissioners to function, has faced multiple vacancies due to partisan battles in the Senate. Without a quorum, the agency struggles to enforce federal election laws. Weintraub’s departure raises questions about whether the FEC will be able to continue operations.
By Friday morning, the FEC website had already marked Weintraub’s seat as vacant. Meanwhile, the agency canceled its Feb. 13 meeting, leaving the status of the commission in limbo.
