Supreme Court permits firings at consumer product safety agency

The Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to remove members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission on Wednesday, the latest ruling from the court’s conservative bloc temporarily blessing Trump’s firing of independent agency officials.

Wednesday’s brief, unsigned order would allow the administration to re-fire three members of the commission appointed by President Joe Biden — Mary Boyle, Alexander Hoehn-Saric and Richard Trumka Jr. — while legal challenges to their original firings proceed.

The trio had won a court order in June finding that their firings violated a federal law protecting them from removal except for cause, and Wednesday’s order served as the latest court defeat for Congress’ power to restrict presidents from firing executive branch officials.

The decision followed one in May allowing the Trump administration to fire Cathy Harris from the Merit Systems Protection Board and Gwynne Wilcox from the National Labor Relations Board while their challenges work their way through the court system.

—CQ-Roll Call

First Liberty sold faith and MAGA loyalty. How conservative media helped

ATLANTA — Before federal regulators accused Brant Frost IV of orchestrating a $140 million Ponzi scheme, the Newnan businessman and his family built trust in conservative circles by tapping into something deeper than market pitches. He sold ideology.

With endorsements from MAGA influencers and faith-laced appeals on conservative media platforms, Frost and his family cast First Liberty Building & Loan as a way for investors to grow wealth while advancing Christian values and boosting President Donald Trump’s movement.

On-air pitches framed the investments in First Liberty business loans as part of the “patriot economy.” Talk show hosts praised their financial offerings.

Some even brought the founder’s son, Brant Frost V, on-air to sell “First Liberty Notes,” a high-dollar investment that promised steep returns for those who ponied up at least $25,000.

—The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Mo. Sen. Josh Hawley led off DC stage after pro-Palestinian activists protest event

Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley was escorted off a stage Wednesday in Washington, D.C., after pro-Palestinian demonstrators interrupted an event he was participating in.

The disruption, which took place at the Axios News Shapers forum, was first reported by The Hill. Newsweek later posted a video of the incident.

“Josh Hawley cannot possibly care about people in this country because he is supporting a war of starvation,” one protester interjected in the middle of a sit-down interview between the Republican lawmaker and reporter Stef Kight.

As Kight attempted to regain control of the room, a cacophony of voices swelled in protest. It’s unclear how many demonstrators were in attendance because the camera was trained on the stage.

—The Kansas City Star

Zelenskyy attempts to defuse row over anti-corruption law

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has held talks to try and defuse a row over a new law curtailing the power of anti-corruption authorities.

At an "open and helpful" meeting, representatives decided to draw up an action plan to resolve remaining problems, he wrote on Telegram on Wednesday.

He posted a photo showing him with people at the meeting, including the head of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), Semen Kryvonos, and the head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP), Olexander Klymenko.

On Tuesday, the parliament in Kyiv voted to limit the powers of both authorities. They are now to be placed under the authority of the prosecutor general's office.

—dpa