Trump sued by Democrats for seeking control over federal election commission

By Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) - Donald Trump was sued on Friday by the Democratic Party over a recent executive order it says violates federal election law by giving him too much power over the independent Federal Election Commission.

The lawsuit filed in the Washington, D.C. federal court by three national Democratic committees is the party's first against Trump during the Republican's second White House term.

It comes as Democrats, outnumbered in Congress, seek an effective means to counteract far-reaching changes from Trump's first six weeks of his second term, including many steps to lessen government oversight and eliminate internal dissent.

Several dozen lawsuits have challenged other actions taken by Trump since his January 20 inauguration.

Friday's lawsuit objects to a February 18 order giving the White House more control over the election commission, the National Labor Relations Board, the Securities and Exchange Commission and other traditionally independent agencies that normally operate day-to-day at arm's length from the president.

Other defendants include Attorney General Pam Bondi, the election commission and three commissioners.

The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesman for the election commission said that agency does not discuss litigation.

Trump's order, "Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies," makes his and Bondi's opinions on questions of law "controlling" for all federal employees performing their official duties, and bans executive branch employees from advancing contrary views.

Critics have called the order an unprecedented power grab.

The Democrats said it would effectively substitute Trump's views on election-related disputes for those of the bipartisan election commission, and let him dictate outcomes.

Congress created the commission in 1974 in the wake of the Watergate scandal, to oversee elections and enforce campaign finance laws.

According to the complaint, letting Trump micromanage the commission would undermine that purpose, by allowing a "single partisan political figure" to rig campaign rules and resolve disputes against his opponents.

The plaintiffs include the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

They said Trump's order is already causing irreparable harm, by making it harder for the Senate committee to defend against a complaint by the 2024 reelection campaign of Republican U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas over his opponent's advertisements.

The lawsuit seeks a declaration that a federal law shielding the election commission from "presidential coercion and control" is constitutional, and to block Trump's February 18 order.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Bill Berkrot)