1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to publicly condemn the authoritarian actions currently being carried out by the Trump administration and to take concrete steps to defend democratic norms and constitutional rights. During the previous election cycle, Kevin Roberts of The Heritage Foundation stated that the United States is experiencing a second American Revolution that will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be. Russell Vought, who now holds a public position in the current administration, has publicly stated the goal is to put them in trauma, referring to political opponents. These were not idle threats. We are now watching this agenda play out in real time through aggressive ICE and DHS raids targeting communities across the country and through the unprecedented federalization of the National Guard. This is not normal governance. This is the systematic use of federal law enforcement and military power to intimidate Americans and consolidate executive authority. People in positions of government power previously threatened bloodshed if they did not get their way politically. Those same people now wield the apparatus of the state against civilians. We are witnessing the erosion of democratic governance in favor of authoritarian control. There is a quote from the television show Mr Robot that rings vividly true during this moment in our history: The world is a dangerous place, Elliott, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing. Our democracy cannot survive when people adjacent to power threaten bloodshed if they do not get their way politically, and it certainly cannot survive when elected officials remain silent in response. I ask you to consider how you would respond if these exact actions were being taken by the opposing party. The standard must be consistent regardless of partisan affiliation. This level of cruelty and abuse of power is unacceptable from anyone in government. History will judge those who remained complicit in the face of ongoing threats to democratic norms and human rights. I urge you to publicly denounce these actions, oppose the federalization of the National Guard for domestic political purposes, and commit to defending constitutional protections for all Americans. Our constituents deserve leaders who defend democracy, not those who look on and do nothing.