The Trump administration kicked three Democrats off of a government commission and simply locked one of them and his staff out of their offices.
The White House told the Hill that the firings were made from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which oversees product hazards, issues recalls, and sets standards for manufacturers. The CPSC was the group behind the controversy over a suggested ban on gas stoves.
'This is an appalling and lawless attack on the independence of our country’s product safety watchdog.'
All of the three fired from the five-person commission were appointed by former President Joe Biden and had been confirmed by the U.S. Senate. They included Mary Boyle, Alexander Hoehn-Saric, and Richard Trumka Jr., the son of the late president of the AFL-CIO union.
Sources indicated to the Hill that Hoehn-Saric and his staff were locked out of the commission's building, while the other two were notified of their firings.
William Wallace, the director of safety advocacy for Consumer Reports, issued a statement Friday decrying the action.
“This is an appalling and lawless attack on the independence of our country’s product safety watchdog," said Wallace. "Anyone who cares about keeping their family safe should oppose this move and demand that it be reversed."
The incident mirrored a similar action taken by the Department of Government Efficiency in February when Democrats were not allowed entry into the offices of the U.S. Agency for International Development. Democrats were outraged and called the action illegal and unconstitutional.
“For more than five decades, members of Congress from both parties have supported the role of an independent, bipartisan CPSC," continued the statement from Wallace. "Today’s Congress must step up to defend the agency, reject this power grab, and reaffirm that our laws actually mean what they say on the page.”
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U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission chair Alexander Hoehn-Saric said in a statement that he is not seeking to ban gas stoves and that the agency does not have a proceeding to make such a move.
"Research indicates that emissions from gas stoves can be hazardous, and the CPSC is looking for ways to reduce related indoor air quality hazards. But to be clear, I am not looking to ban gas stoves and the CPSC has no proceeding to do so," Hoehn-Saric said in the statement.
"CPSC is researching gas emissions in stoves and exploring new ways to address health risks. CPSC also is actively engaged in strengthening voluntary safety standards for gas stoves. And later this spring, we will be asking the public to provide us with information about gas stove emissions and potential solutions for reducing any associated risks," he said.
\u201cI want to set the record straight.\n\nContrary to recent media reports, I am not looking to ban gas stoves and the @USCPSC has no proceeding to do so. Read my full statement:\u201d— Alex Hoehn-Saric (@Alex Hoehn-Saric) 1673451977
Bloomberg recently reported that CPSC commissioner Richard Trumka indicated that gas stoves could potentially be banned.
"This is a hidden hazard," Trumka said, according to the outlet. "Any option is on the table. Products that can't be made safe can be banned."
"There is this misconception that if you want to do fine-dining kind of cooking it has to be done on gas," he said. "It's a carefully manicured myth."
In a report published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, the authors claimed that they "found that 12.7% [...] of current childhood asthma in the US is attributable to gas stove use."
But the American Gas Association issued a statement pushing back against the report, saying that it was "not substantiated by sound science."
"Regulators, like the Consumer Products Safety Commission, should rely on real data and science not unsubstantiated claims of advocates. Attempts to generate consumer fears with baseless allegations to justify the banning of natural gas is a misguided agenda that will not improve the environment or the health of consumers and would saddle vulnerable populations with significant costs," the AGA said.
Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia issued a statement staunchly opposing the notion of a gas stove ban.
"This is a recipe for disaster," the lawmaker said in the statement. "The federal government has no business telling American families how to cook their dinner. I can tell you the last thing that would ever leave my house is the gas stove that we cook on. If this is the greatest concern that the Consumer Product Safety Commission has for American consumers, I think we need to reevaluate the commission."
\u201cIf this is the greatest concern that the Consumer Product Safety Commission has for American consumers, I think we need to reevaluate the commission.\u201d— Senator Joe Manchin (@Senator Joe Manchin) 1673381253
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The U.S. Supreme Court temporarily agreed on Wednesday that President Trump can fire three Democrat members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. In its 6-3 decision, the justices granted an application filed by the Trump administration to stay a June 13 district court order attempting to block the president from firing the officials in question. […]
The Trump administration is targeting court interpretations that have stripped the president of full control over personnel, and policy, within federal agencies.
The Biden administration claimed the need to ban gas stoves 'reached a boiling point' before the conversation really got heated.
Save us, Elizabeth Warren.
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