Attorney General Kwame Raoul of Illinois has co-led a coalition of 23 state attorneys general in submitting an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court. The brief supports a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) commissioner who is challenging former President Trump’s attempt to remove her from office without cause.
The FTC, established over a century ago, has played a significant role in consumer protection and antitrust enforcement. The agency has worked with states on major cases, including a recent lawsuit joined by Illinois to block the merger between Kroger and Albertsons. That case resulted in a preliminary injunction that stopped the merger from proceeding.
“My office frequently and successfully partners with the FTC to take actions that protect consumers,” said Attorney General Raoul. “The bipartisan makeup of the FTC ensures that the commission serves all consumers, in Illinois and across the nation. I join my fellow attorneys general in support of the FTC’s current structure and its record of ensuring a safe and fair marketplace for law-abiding businesses and customers.”
According to Raoul and his colleagues, the bipartisan leadership structure at the FTC contributes to balanced decision-making and provides expertise relied upon by state attorneys general. In their brief, they ask the Supreme Court to uphold a lower court’s ruling requiring reinstatement of the commissioner removed by President Trump. The coalition argues that allowing presidential removal of commissioners would undermine the FTC’s function as an expert, bipartisan agency.
Illinois has previously collaborated with the FTC on several matters, including lawsuits against Live Nation Entertainment Inc. and Ticketmaster LLC for alleged deceptive marketing practices affecting ticket prices; against Deere and Company for practices increasing repair costs for farmers; as well as settlements with Grubhub Inc., Leader Automotive Group, and AutoCanada regarding allegations of deceptive business practices.
Attorney General Raoul led this initiative alongside attorneys general from Colorado, Minnesota, and Washington. Other states joining include Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.
