The Public Owns History, Not the President

The Department of Justice’s April 1, 2026, OLC memorandum claiming the Presidential Records Act (PRA) is unconstitutional is a dangerous attempt to privatize the public's history. Under federal law, presidential records are the explicit property of the United States, not the personal property of any administration. The administration's systematic use of encrypted, auto-deleting messaging apps like Signal to conduct official business—including high-level national security discussions—is a flagrant violation of federal records laws. On May 20, 2026, a federal court soundly rejected the administration's legal theories and issued a preliminary injunction mandating full compliance with the PRA and a halt to un-archived ephemeral messaging. The judiciary has spoken, but the executive branch requires rigorous congressional oversight. As your constituent, I urge you to use your Article I authority to ensure accountability: - Subpoena the White House Counsel to review internal compliance directives and ensure the May 20th court order is being fully implemented. - Leverage the Power of the Purse by attaching strict PRA-enforcement and transparency riders to all upcoming executive branch appropriations. Congress must defend its own constitutional authority and protect our nation’s historical record from being permanently erased. I look forward to hearing your specific plan of action on this critical issue.