Myers v. United States, 272 U.S. 52 (1926) was a United States Supreme Court decision that delineated the power of the President to remove executive branch officials.

In 1920, Frank S. Myers, a First-Class Postmaster in Portland, Oregon, was removed from office by then President Woodrow Wilson. There was a law passed by Congress in 1876, which dictated that "Postmasters of the first, second, and third classes shall be appointed and may be removed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate." Myers argued that his dismissal violated this old law.

Chief Justice William Howard Taft, writing for the Court, held that it was within the power of the President to fire officials whose work was essentially an extension of the President's own authority. The Court therefore found that the statute was unconstitutional, for it violated the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches.

External links

• Full text of the decision courtesy of Findlaw.com