1. United States
2. Mo.
3. Letter

I am writing to express my profound concern over the continued expansion of presidential power and the dangerous direction this administration is taking under the influence of Russell Vought. The Supreme Court’s recent decision dramatically expanding the president’s authority to remove leaders of independent federal agencies marks one of the most significant shifts in the balance of power in generations. Legal experts have warned that this decision allows an incoming president to reshape the federal government by replacing experienced, independent public servants with handpicked political loyalists, destabilizing agencies that Congress intentionally designed to operate independently of partisan politics. This is not simply a disagreement over policy. It is a fundamental question about whether our government will continue to operate under the Constitution’s system of checks and balances or become increasingly concentrated in the hands of one individual. Russell Vought has made no secret of his desire to dramatically expand presidential control over the federal government and dismantle longstanding protections for the nonpartisan civil service. These actions threaten the independence of agencies responsible for protecting consumers, workers, investors, retirees, and the public at large. Federal employees swear an oath to the Constitution, not to any president. Their duty is to faithfully administer the laws enacted by Congress, regardless of which political party occupies the White House. Replacing merit with political loyalty weakens our institutions, erodes public trust, and invites abuse of power. As my representative, I expect you to defend Congress’s constitutional role as a coequal branch of government. Remaining silent while executive authority continues to expand is not fulfilling that responsibility. Congress was never intended to surrender its oversight role or allow the executive branch to consolidate unchecked power. I urge you to publicly oppose efforts that undermine the independence of federal agencies, protect the merit based civil service, and restore meaningful congressional oversight. Your oath of office requires nothing less. The American people will remember who defended our constitutional system and who chose political expediency over the rule of law. I sincerely hope you choose to stand with your constituents and the Constitution.