1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

The Trump administration's actions regarding congestion pricing in New York City raise serious legal and ethical concerns. According to an internal Department of Justice memo that was accidentally uploaded, the administration's effort to kill the congestion pricing program is unlikely to withstand legal scrutiny. The memo states that the Secretary of Transportation's decision to declare the project illegal "was contrary to law, pretextual, procedurally arbitrary and capricious, and violated due process." This strongly suggests that the administration is acting in bad faith and disregarding proper procedures. Furthermore, the memo reveals that even the DOJ recognizes the administration's current legal arguments are weak and recommends changing their approach to argue that canceling the program aligns with changed agency priorities. However, this pivot itself seems disingenuous, as it contradicts the administration's initially stated reasons for opposing congestion pricing. This entire situation reflects poorly on the administration's competence and integrity. Uploading the damaging internal memo publicly was an embarrassing blunder that exposed the administration's questionable tactics. The DOT spokesperson's inflammatory response calling it "legal malpractice" and claiming the DOJ has "fallen into disgrace" is highly unprofessional and unbecoming of a government agency. I urge you to condemn this administration's disregard for the rule of law, ethical governance, and basic competence in policymaking. Their handling of the congestion pricing issue is a clear example of their improper motivations and incompetent execution. The American people deserve better leadership that respects legal processes and governs responsibly in the public interest.