The recent dismissal of the Librarian of Congress and the Register of Copyrights by President Trump raises significant constitutional questions about the scope of presidential removal authority and the legal status of these positions. Do these officials wield executive power, thereby making them subject to at-will removal by the President? Or has Congress, in placing these roles within the legislative branch, validly constrained that power to preserve institutional independence?

This panel will explore these questions through a deep examination of constitutional text, historical precedent, and structural principles. Our discussion will trace the origins and evolution of the Library of Congress and the Copyright Office, analyze their statutory framework, and assess their placement within the separation-of-powers scheme. Panelists will debate whether the President has constitutional authority to remove these officers or whether Congress has legitimately limited that authority in the interest of preserving legislative independence.

The conversation will bring together legal scholars and historians to provide insights into the balance of powers among the branches of government and the implications of presidential control over non-executive officers.

Speakers

Prof. Anne Joseph O’Connell, Adelbert H. Sweet Professor of Law, Stanford Law School

Zvi Rosen, Associate Professor, UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law

Devin Watkins, Attorney, Competitive Enterprise Institute

[Moderator] Robert Rando, Partner, Greenspoon Marder LLP 

Learn more at The Federalist Society

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