1. United States
2. Letter

As you consider cases involving presidential and executive power, I urge you to weigh the constitutional framework and the climate of fear and retaliation that has overtaken our government. Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican, has publicly admitted that many of her colleagues are afraid to speak the truth under President Trump. “We are all afraid,” she said—words that should not be spoken in a functioning democracy (The Daily Beast, April 2025). Senator Murkowski’s warnings follow her opposition to Trump’s authoritarian behavior—from mass federal purges to abandoning democratic allies in favor of dictators. Her fear is not hypothetical; it reflects a system where dissent is punished, and silence is rewarded. The growing use of executive power to target critics, control institutions, and intimidate elected officials is a fundamental threat to the balance of power the Constitution was designed to protect. I urge this Court to remember that the erosion of democracy does not happen all at once—it happens case by case, precedent by precedent. Please consider the real-world impact of rulings that expand unchecked executive authority, especially when those in power use that authority to punish the opposition and undermine the independence of coequal branches. The future of our republic may depend on your willingness to draw the line.