Dear John,

This is a constitutional emergency.

In recent weeks, we have seen an unprecedented lawbreaking spree in the White House. Many actions, such as refusing to spend money allocated by Congress, are clearly illegal. Other executive orders, such as the attempt to end birthright citizenship, are flatly unconstitutional. We are seeing attacks on universities, individuals, and law firms, as well as other political opponents.

What’s more, Elon Musk, who funded much of the president’s campaign, has essentially shut down federal agencies such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau without congressional approval. He’s also firing the government watchdogs that regulate his companies. It amounts to a massive power grab —and a massive conflict of interest.

The Brennan Center prepared for this moment. We are fighting these abuses by:

John, can you help us fight these abuses of power? Your donation will fuel our work protecting the Constitution and stamping out corruption.

We conducted extensive scenario planning last year to identify the outdated and dangerous powers a president can invoke to skirt civil rights protections. Our staff is lending that expertise to peers engaged in lawsuits, and we are prepared to litigate invocations of the Insurrection Act, the National Emergencies Act, and the Alien Enemies Act.

We’re also leading the fight against an egregious anti-voter bill now being pushed in Congress. The bill, known as the SAVE Act, would require virtually all Americans to show a passport or birth certificate to register to vote (or to re-register if they move) — documents that tens of millions of citizens don’t have easy access to.

Amid this multitude of threats to democracy and the rule of law, we’re staying focused on what the Brennan Center does best: using our nonpartisan research, policy, and advocacy expertise to defend the Constitution.

Thank you for your continued support,
Michael Waldman
Brennan Center for Justice