Tag

#separation of powers

The constitutional division of government into legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Incidents involve executive overreach, defiance of congressional authority, or interference with judicial independence that violates this foundational structure.

4 incidents

Grade 2 of 5: Major Abuse of Power

Supreme Court Overturns Humphrey's Executor, Lets Trump Fire FTC Commissioner — But Blocks Fed Governor Firing (June 2026)

The Supreme Court overturned Humphrey's Executor, upholding Trump's March 2025 firing of FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter (Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya was removed at the same time) in a 6-3 ruling. The Court's holding is a constitutional ruling, not conduct by Trump, and it makes the Slaughter removal lawful. The conduct this entry documents is the attempted removal of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook on a mortgage-fraud allegation she says was pretextual retaliation over rate policy; a 5-4 companion decision the same day blocked that removal while her suit proceeds.

Grade 2 of 5: Major Abuse of Power

ICE Arrests Three Men at Manhattan Courts Days After Federal Judge Bars Courthouse Arrests

Days after a federal judge restored limits on ICE courthouse arrests, ICE agents arrested three men at Manhattan immigration courts. Advocates call it the first clear breach of two court orders; ICE denies wrongdoing but won't say how the arrests were lawful. The core harm is a federal agency appearing to shrug off a specific, recent judicial order.

Grade 4 of 5: Critical Rights and Rule-of-Law Concern

Systematic Attacks on Judicial Independence and Defiance of Court Orders

A pattern of court order defiance, threats against judges, calls for impeachment, and DOJ Civil Rights Division gutting that constitutional scholars describe as the most serious executive-judicial confrontation since at least Watergate.

Grade 2 of 5: Major Abuse of Power

DOGE Shuts Down Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: 'CFPB RIP'

DOGE operationally shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — a Congressionally-created agency protecting 330 million Americans from financial fraud — by ordering staff to cease all work, deleting social media accounts, and planning to fire nearly all 1,700 employees. Federal courts intervened but the agency remains gutted.