State & Fed Leaders: Stop the Criminalization of Public Service & Dissent

I’m writing to you because our democracy is in crisis, and our U.S. Senators have failed to stand up for the Constitution. I’ve written dozens of letters. I’ve called. I’ve pleaded. But my senators refuse to act on anything that isn’t aligned with President Trump’s impulsive and unconstitutional demands. If they won’t defend the rule of law, then I am turning to you. This is not about partisanship—it’s about the survival of democratic checks and balances. In May 2025, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was wrongfully arrested while conducting oversight of an ICE detention facility. Days later, the Trump administration filed charges against Rep. LaMonica McIver, accusing her of assaulting federal officers during the same oversight visit (Washington Post, May 2025). The charges followed a federal judge’s sharp criticism of the initial arrest, calling it a “worrisome misstep” (Washington Post, May 2025). This is a clear pattern: elected officials investigating federal abuses are being silenced through criminal charges. If the federal government can criminalize lawful oversight by state and local leaders, then no public servant is safe. It is not just unconstitutional—it’s authoritarian. The Justice Department under this administration has pursued similar actions against judges and other elected officials who refuse to fall in line (Politico, May 2025). These are tactics we associate with autocracies, not the United States. State leaders must not stand by. Use your position and influence to publicly condemn these abuses. Push your federal counterparts to act. Demand independent investigations. Defend your colleagues across the country who are being punished for doing their jobs. You cannot legislate in a democracy if oversight is a crime. I am asking you: what can we do? I’m one of millions of Americans who will not accept silence or inaction. Our freedom—yours and mine—is on the line. If local and state leaders don’t speak up now, it may soon be too late.