Durbin Rebukes Trump Administration's Dangerous, Unprecedented Actions Undermining The Rule Of Law
Durbin’s opening statement at today’s Judiciary Committee executive business meeting outlines troubling episodes during the first month of the Trump Administration
WASHINGTON – At today’s Senate Judiciary Committee executive business meeting, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, began the meeting by detailing how unprecedented, dangerous actions by the Trump Administration are actively undermining the rule of law and making Americans less safe. Today marks one month since Donald Trump was inaugurated.
Key Quotes:
“On Monday, President Trump posted on social media ‘He who saves his Country does not violate any law.’ In another social media post, Vice President Vance falsely claimed ‘judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power.’ When he’s not blocking life-saving funding that Congress has authorized, Elon Musk … has also been posting threatening messages about judges for his 218 million followers … These claims by the President, the Vice President, and Elon Musk are not amusing. They are a danger to our Constitution.”
“The Trump Administration’s unlawful actions—from mass layoffs of civil servants to blocking funds that Congress appropriated—pose a serious threat to our constitutional order and the separation of powers.”
“The Trump Administration’s serial violations of the law are not only a challenge to the judicial branch. They also challenge us—Congress, the Article I branch—in ways we have never, never seen before. Under Article I of the Constitution, it is our responsibility to write laws. And under Article II, it is the executive branch’s responsibility to ‘take care that the laws be faithfully executed.’ No one can seriously claim that President Trump is taking care to faithfully execute the law.”
“Last month, President Trump summarily fired 18 Inspectors General. A law, authored by our Chairman, clearly stated, the President ‘shall communicate’ to Congress in writing 30 days before removing an Inspector General the ‘substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons’ for the removal.’ President Trump violated this law. More than three weeks ago, Chairman Grassley and I sent the President a letter asking for a lawfully required rationale. We are still waiting for a response.”
“We are also witnessing an unprecedented assault on the Department of Justice. Dozens of career officials—not political appointees, career officials—at the Justice Department and the FBI have been fired. And thousands of additional FBI personnel have been targeted simply for doing what they were assigned to do—investigate the January 6 attack on the Capitol.”
“At the same time, Trump political appointees are already weaponizing the Justice Department’s vast law enforcement resources for nakedly partisan reasons. Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, one of [four] former defense attorneys of President Trump serving in senior Justice Department roles, ordered the dismissal of the prosecution of New York City Mayor Eric Adams in exchange for the Mayor’s cooperation with the Trump immigration agenda.”
“The prospect of an FBI Director who is an unprincipled loyalist of the President and untethered from the rule of law heightens that danger. Today, the Senate will vote on Kash Patel’s confirmation. It is an opportunity for the Senate to fulfill our constitutional duty and preserve the rule of law. Mr. Patel’s record demonstrates he is a dangerous political operative who should not serve as the next FBI Director.”
“I hope I am wrong, but I believe that my Republican colleagues will quickly come to regret any support for Mr. Patel. FBI agents have come to us privately as whistleblowers and told us the terrible decline in morale at the FBI. This is the first presidential transition with such a purge, and it certainly has had its impact on these men and women who have dedicated their lives to our safety.”
“I suspect that the time will soon come when we will all fully appreciate the importance of a legislature and a judiciary that are independent of the executive.”
Video of Durbin’s remarks is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s remarks is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s remarks is available here for TV Stations.
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