Trump v. Cook · ¶128

The President’s removal of Cook was also for “cause.” 12 U. S. C. §242. By authorizing the President to remove Cook for “cause” in the Federal Reserve Act, Congress gave Cook the weakest available removal protection, which this Court has described as weaker even than the relatively deferen- tial “inefficiency, neglect, or malfeasance in office” standard. Collins v. Yellen, 594 U. S. 220, 255–256 (2021) (internal quotation marks omitted); see, e.g., 15 U. S. C. §41. The “for cause” standard required nothing more than what the plain meaning suggests—a cause. Any “cause relating to the conduct, ability, fitness, or competence of the officer” would do. Black’s Law Dictionary 796 (3d ed. 1933). A removal was for-cause if it was based on the removed officer’s “bad habits, slovenliness, want of discretion, incompetency, or anything else which would show unfitness.” Fuller v. El lis, 98 Mich.…

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