Andrea Hsu
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The justices heard arguments today in a case involving President Trump's firing of Federal Trade Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter.
The FTC is one of a couple dozen government agencies designed by Congress to have some degree of independence from the White House.
Under federal law, the FTC's five members can only be removed for cause.
That didn't stop Trump from firing Slaughter back in March.
A lower court found her firing unlawful, citing a 1935 precedent called Humphreys Executor.
It put limits on the president's power to remove members of some independent agencies.
Today, Solicitor General John Sauer, representing Trump, asked the court to overrule Humphreys.
The case before the court today sprung from President Trump's firing of a Democratic member of the Federal Trade Commission.
But the case could have far-reaching implications.
The Trump administration argued the Constitution gives the president the right to remove anyone who assists him in carrying out his executive duties for any reason.
The administration said the president must have such removal powers in order to remain accountable to the people who elected him.
On the other side, lawyers for the fired FTC commissioner said there's a long historical tradition of creating independent agencies insulated from presidential control and that limits on presidential power are necessary to protect the public's interests.
In 1935, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Congress could put limits on the president's power to fire heads of some independent agencies.
The agency in question was the Federal Trade Commission.
Today, the court considers whether those limits are constitutional.