1. United States
2. Colo.
3. Letter

I am writing as a concerned constituent to express my deep alarm over recent reports indicating that the Executive Branch is using the ongoing government shutdown as a political weapon to punish opposition leaders, target Democratic-leaning states, and impose retaliatory layoffs on federal employees. Public statements made by administration officials — including threats to withhold billions of dollars in previously approved infrastructure and energy funding from blue states, and warnings of permanent layoffs of federal workers — suggest a disturbing abuse of power that may be in violation of constitutional and statutory protections. Specifically, I am concerned that: The selective freezing of funds in Democratic-controlled states violates the Appropriations Clause and the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution. The use of permanent layoffs, rather than standard furloughs during a shutdown, appears to circumvent civil service protections established under the Civil Service Reform Act. Public remarks indicating the shutdown is being used to "inflict pain" or “get rid of Democrat things” raise serious questions of retaliatory governance and abuse of executive authority. Congress, not the Executive Branch, holds the power of the purse. The notion that federal funds can be withheld or redirected for partisan purposes undermines the rule of law, threatens the legitimacy of our institutions, and directly harms millions of Americans who depend on these programs and jobs. I urge you to: Publicly oppose the use of the shutdown as a political weapon. Demand a full legal review and investigation into the legality of withholding approved funds and enacting retaliatory layoffs. Support immediate bipartisan legislation to reassert Congressional control over appropriated funds and protect civil servants from political reprisal. Our democracy cannot function if basic governmental powers are used for partisan retaliation. Please act swiftly to restore accountability, protect the rights of public workers, and ensure the equitable distribution of federally approved resources. Thank you for your time and for your service to our district and to the country.