Independent Agency Rules — Week of Mar 10, 2025

During the week of March 10, 2025, three government actions stood out for the way they used presidential power to override processes normally handled by independent agencies or longstanding law.

Why this might matter: these actions could affect the ability of federal agencies and state governments to make decisions based on law and expertise rather than political direction, which is a core principle behind institutions like the Department of Education, the security clearance system, and state environmental regulators. If this pattern continues, it may indicate a broader shift toward White House control over decisions these institutions were designed to make independently.

The most notable action was an executive order targeting the law firm Perkins Coie, which suspended the firm's security clearances, ended government contracts, and directed the Attorney General to investigate it—and "large law firms" generally. The order explicitly cited the firm's past work for Hillary Clinton and connections to George Soros. The administration may have legitimate security or contracting concerns about the firm's past conduct, and the president does have broad authority over classified information and government contracts. The measures could also be part of a broader effort to ensure national security compliance among contractors. But singling out a private law firm by name in a presidential order, based on its political clients and donors, goes beyond normal contracting decisions and could discourage other firms from taking on clients who oppose the administration.

A second executive order on student loan forgiveness directed the Department of Education to exclude organizations with a "substantial illegal purpose" from the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. While excluding genuinely criminal organizations may be a reasonable step to protect program integrity, the listed criteria are broad enough to potentially cover immigration advocacy groups, environmental protesters, and organizations involved in transgender healthcare—activities that, while politically controversial, are often legally protected. This raises the concern that a student loan benefit could become a tool for pressuring nonprofits.

A Senate bill, the Stop CARB Act, would eliminate California's nearly 60-year-old authority to set stricter vehicle emissions standards than the federal government requires. Supporters argue this creates regulatory consistency and streamlines compliance for automakers. Critics note it removes a key federalism safeguard in environmental law.

Limitations: This analysis is based on a small sample of 18 documents—meaning a single document can significantly shift the statistics—and is AI-generated. Not all actions flagged here are necessarily harmful; some may reflect legitimate policy choices. Independent review by legal and policy experts is recommended.