Trump’s Planned Emergency Declaration Is An Illegal Abuse of Power; Public Citizen Will Sue
Feb. 14, 2019
Trump’s Planned Emergency Declaration Is An Illegal Abuse of Power; Public Citizen Will Sue
Statement of Robert Weissman, President, Public Citizen
If President Donald Trump proceeds to declare a national emergency to secure funding for a racist and needless wall, against the backdrop of Congress’ express refusal to fund such a barrier, it will constitute an outrageous abuse of power – perhaps the most dangerous yet by the unstable and increasingly autocratic President Trump. If this invocation of emergency on false pretenses is tolerated, it could justify almost limitless abuses of presidential and military power, including far-reaching clampdowns on civil rights.
On behalf of landowners and others in Texas likely to be affected by such an illegal maneuver, Public Citizen will sue to challenge this unconstitutional attempt to circumvent the legislative process.
We also will mobilize our members and join with others in demanding that Congress pass a resolution of disapproval to overturn the national emergency declaration.