1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

I am alarmed by President Trump’s January 20 executive order which declares a national emergency and directs the Pentagon and DHS to report by April 20 on whether to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807. This is a legal path to using U.S. troops against civilians on American soil. President Trump attempted to invoke the Insurrection Act on June 1, 2020 to send the US Army against civilian protestors following the murder of George Floyd. He was dissuaded from that flagrant abuse of power and violation of the constitution by his previous Attorney General, Defense Secretary, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. We have seen the prepared document, there is no denying that unleashing the military on civilians was his intention. The President has shown time and again that he will go too far. Now he has replaced reasoned minds in these key national security positions with loyalists who will support these extreme measures. Now we have every reason to believe he’ll use claimed “insurrection” to silence dissent and tighten control.  By allowing him to invoke the Insurrection Act, the President would be able to send the military into cities to stop protests, even peaceful ones, that are protected by our constitutional right to free speech. He would be able to directly go against the will of state and local governments to command law enforcement, in order to silence dissent.   Congress must act immediately.  We demand full transparency about the April 20 report. Hold public hearings to allow your constituents to fully understand what is happening.  And if you intend to support the President’s bid to bypass our constitutional rights, I want you and every other official on record before the law is used to turn troops on our own people.  We are on the edge of authoritarianism. You were elected to represent the people—do so before it is too late.