An open letter to the U.S. Congress

Support the American Historical Association Lawsuit and Defend the Presidential Records Act

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I need you to publicly support the American Historical Association's federal lawsuit defending the Presidential Records Act and oppose the Justice Department's April 1st memo claiming the PRA is unconstitutional. This law has protected our democracy since Watergate, and dismantling it would allow presidents to destroy evidence of their actions in office. The Justice Department memo argues the PRA "exceeds Congress's enumerated and implied powers" and threatens the executive branch's independence. That's wrong. Congress has clear authority to regulate how government records are preserved for the public. Without the PRA, presidential records will be irretrievably lost, erasing crucial historical evidence and eliminating accountability. We've already seen what happens when presidents ignore this law. After leaving office, Trump kept classified documents at Mar-a-Lago despite the PRA requiring him to turn them over to the National Archives. The FBI search found over 100 documents marked classified, plus records about clemency decisions, immigration policies, and intelligence matters. Trump claimed these were personal records he could keep, directly contradicting the law. If the Justice Department's position stands, future presidents can destroy whatever records they choose. That's not executive independence. That's erasing history and shielding misconduct from scrutiny. Defend the Presidential Records Act.

▶ Created on April 9 by Harmony

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