The ACLU will continue fighting to hold Trump to account.

Friend –

Let's be clear about what happened Wednesday: President Donald Trump urged an unruly mob to intimidate Congress from carrying out its constitutional duty.

The ACLU condemns this shameless attempt to interfere with the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens to vote, have their votes counted, and have the results of the election duly certified in accordance with the law.

This assault on our democracy and the repeated attempts to subvert the will of American voters cannot go unchallenged. For over 100 years, the ACLU has defended our civil liberties and civil rights – and we will not allow this moment to go unanswered.

First, what occurred was not "protest." We know protests. This was a dangerous criminal trespass – aimed to overthrow the legitimate outcome of a democratic election and undermine the peaceful transfer of power, the very hallmark of our democracy.

President Trump has endeavored to subvert the result of a lawful election through a consistent pattern of lies, bad-faith and frivolous lawsuits, threats against state election officials, attempts to get Vice President Pence to stop the certification, and the urging of an unruly mob to intimidate Congress in the wake of an election that he lost by a wide margin.

Despite over 60 legal challenges that were filed by the Trump administration and states to subvert the will of the people – and which the ACLU defended against – the courts, federal and state, have been unanimous: Our legal system cannot be used to steal an election.

He has also used the presidency to empower white supremacists no matter how high the stakes or toll paid by our people or by our democratic institutions and ideals. And it is not lost on us at all the disparate treatment of these agitators by law enforcement when compared to Black and Brown protesters earlier this summer.

The ACLU has launched over 400 legal actions against the unlawful and unconstitutional policies of Trump and his enablers. That strength doesn't end with only twelve days left. Our national board called for the impeachment of President Trump in December 2019, and our board is discussing additional steps to hold him accountable – while he is in office and once he is a private citizen.

That is why we are grateful to have you with us. George Orwell warned us: Those who control the past control the future. Only by fully examining, and confronting the truth about how we got to this moment in 2021 can we move forward together.

Joe Biden will be our President in less than 12 days. Kamala Harris will be our first Black-Indian woman Vice President. Vanita Gupta – an ACLU alumna – will be at a top job at the Justice Department. Mitch McConnell will no longer be Senate Majority Leader. And within months, it could be safe enough for me to meet the devoted rank-and-file ACLU members in person once again. In this new year, I choose optimism and insist on seeing brighter days ahead.

We hope you and your loved ones are safe during this fraught time. The events of the past couple of days have been trying, but I am sure the country is rounding the corner.

Meanwhile, please know the ACLU will continue fighting to hold Trump – and all those who undermine the sanctity of our Constitution – accountable. Now and always. Count on it.

For democracy,

Anthony Romero
Pronouns: He, him, his
Executive Director, ACLU

Donate Now
<[link removed]>

Facebook
<[link removed]>

Twitter
<[link removed]>

Instagram
<[link removed]>

This email was sent to: [email protected]

Sign up for ACLU texts
<[link removed]>

Unsubscribe
<[link removed]>

Please note: If you forward or distribute, the links will open a page with your information filled in.

We respect your right to privacy – view our policy.
<[link removed]>

This email was sent by:
American Civil Liberties Union
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004, USA