Terrell McSweeny, the last remaining Democratic commissioner on the Federal Trade Commission announced yesterday that she is resigning and would leave her post on April 28. That means that by the end of this month, there will be four empty chairs among the five commissioners at the FTC, with only acting chairman Maureen Ohlhausen left. Even Ohlhausen has one foot out the door, as she will be leaving the FTC to become a federal judge.
President Trump has nominated four commissioners to the vacant seats, but they have yet to be confirmed by the Senate. He has also announced Joseph Simons, an antitrust attorney, as his pick to be the next chairman of the FTC, but he has yet to be confirmed by the Senate as well. The four new commissioners had their confirmation hearing back in February.
McSweeny had previously indicated she would remain at the FTC until her replacements were confirmed. McSweeny had spent the past four years as a commissioner, having been nominated to the post by former president Barack Obama. Prior to joining the FTC, McSweeny worked at the Justice Department, and as domestic policy advisor to former vice president Joe Biden.
“During the last four years, the FTC took careful stock of the tools it needs to remain nimble enough to navigate fast-paced digital markets,” McSweeny said in her resignation statement. “Through reports, workshops, and cases we examined the benefits and consequences of the powerful technology that connects us to each other and the world. We agreed that a strong FTC is vital to protecting consumers in the digital age. I hope future commissions will build on this work, expand the FTC’s use of cutting-edge research and technological expertise, and protect the agency’s independence.”
