Dear John,
Imagine a West Wing episode where a newly inaugurated President Bartlet pardoned hundreds of convicts involved in the beating of police and the desecration of the Capitol, illegally halted the expenditure of lawfully appropriated federal funds, unconstitutionally decreed the end to birthright citizenship, fired countless federal workers without notice or due process, eliminated all efforts to achieve equality in our military and our workforce, erased facts and information from government websites, and ordered other measures that fly in the face of law, the justice system, and norms and principles of democracy. You would immediately switch channels because the plot was too preposterous.
Unfortunately, this is not a poorly conceived television show. Instead, it is real life and most of it was foretold in Project 2025, the blueprint for the barrage of edicts now underway. LDAD will have much more to say about this linkage in the near future, but there are other concerns to highlight today.
While the current occupant of the West Wing is being masterfully manipulated by a group of extremists who have spent decades planning for this moment, the President contributes to the carnage through his skillful ability to control narratives that the media and the public then pursue. His superpower is to capably deflect attention when he wants the world to look away from something that he does not want them to see.
This week, the Senate has scheduled confirmation hearings for three controversial Cabinet nominees. As additional damaging information continues to emerge, concerns about the competence and qualifications of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Kash Patel, and Tulsi Gabbard to lead DHHS, the FBI, and National Intelligence have escalated.
The negative attention required fast action to divert any focus on the hearings. Don’t look here; look over there at a declaration that would immediately cause havoc in the lives of millions who depend on government functioning legally. Pay no heed to these potentially dangerous hires.
This itself may be a plot twist worthy of West Wing intrigue, but in reality, we must resist being overwhelmed and diverted. Each order must be analyzed, each attack on the rule of law explained, every nominee scrutinized, and we must remain steadfast in protecting democracy.
The road ahead will be long and complicated. The primary goal of this administration, as set out in Project 2025, is to destroy as much of the existing government structures and personnel as possible. There is no interest in actual governance.
It is up to all of us to demand better and to ensure our voices are heard in the halls of Congress, our state houses, and all forms of media. And as the rule of law is trampled, we implore lawyers to meet this moment and uphold their duty to the Constitution, the justice system, and the rule of law.
Thank you for your dedication to maintaining our democracy. Please support our efforts by donating to LDAD and by sharing this email with your networks. As always, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] if you may be interested in volunteering or if you wish to share your ideas.
Lawyers Defending American Democracy
