Longtime Democratic Federal Election Commissioner and Chair Ellen Weintraub on Thursday said President Donald Trump sent a letter removing her from the commission -- a move that election experts say is unlawful.
In a social media post accompanied by a copy of the short letter signed by Trump, Weintraub wrote: "Received a letter from POTUS today purporting to remove me as Commissioner & Chair of @FEC. There’s a legal way to replace FEC commissioners-this isn’t it."
"I’ve been lucky to serve the American people & stir up some good trouble along the way. That’s not changing anytime soon," she continued.
The letter from Trump reads: "Dear Commissioner Weintraub, You are hereby removed as a Member of the Federal Election Commission effective immediately. Thank you for your service on the Commission."
Several election experts have already echoed Weintraub's claim that Trump's unprecedented move is potentially unlawful.
“In claiming to fire a commissioner of the Federal Election Commission, the president violates the law, the separation of powers, and generations of Supreme Court precedent," wrote Trevor Potter, Republican former chair of the FEC and president of Campaign Legal Center, stressing the importance of maintaining the independent nature of the FEC.
Trump’s dismissal of Weintraub comes as other former government officials begin to challenge the president’s single-handed effort to reshape the leadership within the federal government.
-ABC News' Soo Rin Kim, Peter Charalambous, Olivia Rubin