1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to support impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump for abuse of power and misuse of his office for personal financial gain. The recent lawsuit Trump filed against the IRS and Treasury Department demanding at least $10 billion in damages represents an unprecedented attempt to use the presidency to extract massive taxpayer funds for alleged personal grievances from his first term. This lawsuit, filed in federal court in Florida on Thursday, seeks compensation for what Trump claims was an unauthorized leak of his tax returns during his previous presidency. The $10 billion figure represents an extraordinary sum that would come directly from the US Treasury if successful. Trump filed this suit in his personal capacity alongside his sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, yet he is pursuing this claim while simultaneously serving as president with authority over the very agencies he is suing. This creates an untenable conflict of interest. The president now has direct supervisory power over the IRS and Treasury Department through his appointees while simultaneously seeking billions in damages from these agencies. This arrangement allows him to potentially influence the defense against his own lawsuit or pressure settlements using his presidential authority. No president should be permitted to leverage their office to pursue massive personal financial claims against the federal government. The Constitution provides impeachment as the remedy when a president abuses the powers of the office. Using the presidency to pursue a $10 billion personal payday from taxpayers while controlling the defendant agencies represents exactly the kind of self-dealing and corruption the founders sought to prevent. This goes beyond policy disagreements to fundamental questions about whether any individual can use the highest office in the land as a vehicle for personal enrichment at public expense. I urge you to initiate or support impeachment proceedings immediately. The integrity of our government and the principle that no one is above the law demand accountability.