FTC Commissioner testifies before Colorado committee after Trump firing
Bedoya did not testify in person, he said he needed to be in Washington after yesterday's news but he still made time to weigh in on two bills being considered in Colorado and to talk about what he is going through.
2 escape ICE detention facility in Aurora; ICE claims local authorities refuse to help
'I would like to talk about what the Federal Trade Commission is and what just happened at the commission with the president's attempt to illegally fire me and one of my colleagues. I want to talk about the effect that will have on affordability, in my views, to people in Colorado and everywhere else across the country but most importantly, I want to talk the opportunity that this presents for you in Colorado,' Bedoya said near the top of his comments to the Joint Judiciary Committee Wednesday.
The Federal Trade Commission was established in 1914, designed to promote competition while protecting consumers. Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya said he and Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter were fired by the president Tuesday. While they plan to fight the action, he wonders if the firings have anything to do with ongoing court orders and litigation from the FTC against companies whose leaders were at the president's inauguration.
'I don't know why the president is trying to fire me. I do think it was very interesting that I was not fired in week one or week two of the administration when it seemed like there was a bunch of names on the list that were intended to be fired to achieve some kind of unitary executive. I think it's interesting that the last public statement I made was critical of one of the men standing behind the president's shoulder at his inauguration. I issued a statement criticizing Mr. Bezos,' Bedoya told the committee.
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Before the firings, Bedoya was originally supposed to talk about the role states play in keeping things affordable for consumers. He was set to rally with workers in favor of a labor union bill that's making its way through the capitol. He said Colorado is leading the way with bills at the capitol and lawsuits like the one the state brought against the King Soopers Albertsons merger.
'I am thrilled that the Colorado legislature has before it such a bill: House Bill 25 1090 that would prohibit these kind of hidden junk fees including in residential housing. And I will respectfully say that if you succeed in passing this bill. You will go even further than the Federal Trade Commission did in prohibiting junk fees for live events and travel. I urge you to take up that bill and pass it,' Bodeya told committee members.
FTC Chairmen Andrew Ferguson said he believes the president was lawful in the firings.Bedoya said he will be in Denver this Friday to rally with Bernie Sanders.
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