Warning that the United States already has the “ingredients” of a “strongman state,” a Democratic senator is rolling out a sweeping legislative package designed to curb what he calls authoritarian abuses of power — with President Donald Trump squarely in mind.
The 10-part, 417-page proposal from Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. — shared first with MS NOW — touches on everything from immigration enforcement to whether a sitting president’s likeness can appear on U.S. currency.
“Authoritarianism isn’t down the street or around the corner — it is here right now,” Merkley said in a statement, blaming the combination of a “rubber-stamp” Congress, a “deferential” Supreme Court and a “power-hungry President behaving like a king.”
“The For Our Republic Act lays out a clear roadmap of the actions Congress can take to fight back against Trump’s authoritarian takeover and reassert our authority,” Merkley said.
Taken together, it’s the most expansive effort yet from Democrats to rewrite the rules of presidential power in response to Trump’s second term.
Of course, with Republicans in control of Congress and Trump in the Oval Office, the proposal faces long odds of becoming law during this Congress — or even over the next two years with Trump retaining his veto powers.
The proposal does, however, provide Democrats with a fresh collection of ideas and legislative ambitions to campaign on ahead of this fall’s midterms.
Democratic Sens. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut are original cosponsors of the bill.
The package bundles together existing Democratic bills with new proposals, all aimed at actions taken by the Trump administration over the past year. For instance, Merkley’s bill would:
- Bar Immigration and Customs Enforcement from using biometric surveillance technology, such as facial recognition, without a judicial warrant
- Require federal officers to display identifying information — including their agency name and identification number — while carrying out enforcement actions
- Restrict federal law enforcement’s use of unmarked vehicles during arrests
- Waive certain immunity protections for ICE and Customs and Border Protection officers so that people could sue officers for alleged violations of constitutional rights
- Ban payments from Trump’s proposed Anti-Weaponization Fund, the controversial program established to compensate Jan. 6 defendants
- Prohibit the use of federal funds or private donations for Trump’s White House East Wing overhaul project without congressional approval
Another section of the package would prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from revoking broadcast licenses based on the viewpoints a company chooses to put on air.
The FCC, under Trump-nominated chairman Brendan Carr, is currently targeting the licenses of ABC stations amid complaints about the political leaning of the broadcaster’s programming. Disney-owned ABC has accused the FCC of intimidation.
The legislation also would require congressional approval before a president could shutter or change the purpose of a federal agency. In the past 18 months, Trump has dismantled USAID, and his White House is currently proposing to shutter the Department of Education.
And the measure would restrict the use of a sitting president or vice president’s name or image on federal buildings, passports or currency.
In the last year, the Trump administration has draped banners featuring the president’s portrait outside the Departments of Labor and Justice in Washington. The Treasury Department, meanwhile, unveiled designs last month for commemorative $1 coins featuring Trump’s image.
Merkley also envisions new financial disclosure requirements for individuals representing the U.S. government in overseas negotiations.
The inclusion of that section of the package comes as questions continue to swirl around Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who has taken on the role of peace envoy for negotiations between Israel and Hamas and the U.S. and Iran — even as his investment firm receives funding from Middle East nations. (Kushner has denied wrongdoing.)
The bill also would bar the president, vice president and other top administration officials — as well as congressional leaders — from making money by issuing, endorsing or sponsoring cryptocurrencies, including meme coins.
In his annual financial disclosure released in June, the president reported more than $1.4 billion in cryptocurrency-related income — including roughly $635 million in income tied to sales of his $TRUMP meme coin.
Merkley has been warning about creeping “authoritarianism” in the Trump administration for some time. Last October, the Oregonian held control of the Senate floor for more than 22 hours straight, warning that the U.S. was facing the “most perilous moment” since the Civil War.
Democrats are making government ethics and alleged corruption within the White House a centerpiece of their midterm message, alongside the cost of living.
Those Democratic efforts have accelerated as the midterm elections approach.
Just last week, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., introduced a plan to create a new anti-corruption agency within the federal government to investigate malfeasance by the president and his team.
The post Democrats unveil sweeping proposal to combat Trump authoritarianism appeared first on MS NOW.
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