John,
This is terrifying: the Department of Justice is exploiting the COVID-19 crisis to try to get the power to detain people indefinitely without a trial, and to suspend court proceedings.1,2
We can’t let this happen. A power grab like this does nothing to help diagnose or treat people in need of medical care. It only puts people in danger.
Can you donate to help protect due process and the rule of law, and fight off any attacks to undermine our essential rights?
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If this request were approved, it would mean that anyone could be arrested and locked up indefinitely, with no legal recourse or trial. Just think about that for a minute. This is the type of extreme measure that could undo a democracy.
The good news is that, so far, Congress has opposed this request. But this isn’t the first time politicians have taken authoritarian actions in response to a crisis.3 Power-hungry politicians are all-too-willing to seize on moments of uncertainty and fear to take away our rights.
That’s why we need to fight to protect our rights, now more than ever. Censorship, invasive surveillance, and law enforcement crackdowns can actually make this pandemic worse by preventing people from sharing valuable information and seeking testing and treatment.4
We need to remain vigilant and resist any authoritarian attempts to take away our civil rights. We’ve launched a national campaign to fight off any attempts to usurp our essential rights, and are uniting thousands of people in this effort. We need to be able to get people to sign petitions, make calls, and take digital actions to protect due process, rule of law, and all essential rights. You can help by chipping in today.
Together,
Caitlin at Fight for the Future
Footnotes:
1. The Hill: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/488821-doj-seeks-new-emergency-powers-amid-coronavirus-pandemic
2. Politico: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/21/doj-coronavirus-emergency-powers-140023
3. The Hill: https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/judicial/489599-covid-19-bill-barr-and-the-american-authoritarian-tradition
4. ACLU: https://www.aclu.org/sites/default/files/field_document/asset_upload_file399_33642.pdf
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