Elected Officials Must Defend Democracy from Unlawful Interference

Recent actions by former President Donald J. Trump—including attempts to pardon individuals charged under Arizona state law for submitting false electoral certificates—constitute a blatant abuse of power and a direct threat to the rule of law. These pardons exceed constitutional authority, which applies only to federal crimes, and represent an attempt to shield unlawful conduct from accountability. This behavior is part of a larger pattern of criminal, authoritarian, and anti-democratic actions aimed at undermining lawful elections, obstructing justice, and destabilizing constitutional governance. Allowing these actions to go unchallenged endangers the foundation of American democracy and sets a dangerous precedent: that those in power can evade consequences for illegal acts. Congress must take immediate, decisive steps to protect the rule of law: 1. Conduct thorough oversight into the attempted abuse of pardon powers and other anti-democratic actions. 2. Reaffirm and codify the limits of presidential authority to prevent future violations. 3. Support state and local authorities in enforcing lawful prosecutions free from interference. Failure to act now risks normalizing lawlessness at the highest levels of government and undermining public trust in our institutions. The Constitution demands accountability—no one is above the law.