TRUMP'S ABUSES OF POWER

During Trump's first term, he clearly demonstrated that he lacks the character, integrity, and competence to be President. (Click here to see more on this.) Also, despite his best efforts to ignore the Constitution and rule like an autocrat, he was fortunately unable to do so because of the checks and balances established in the Constitution. After being defeated in the 2020 election, Trump showed his disdain for the Constitution and the Rule of Law by repeatedly lying about non-existent voter fraud and conspiring to overturn the results of a free and fair election. The low point came on January 6th, 2021 when Trump incited a group of his misguided supporters to attack the Capital to disrupt the peaceful transition of power for the first time in our history!   The rioters even chanted "Hang Mike Pence!", since Trump turned against his own Vice President, who chose to honor his obligations under the Constitution instead of complying with Trump's exhortations to ignore them.

Trump's "high crimes and misdemeanors" during his first term and after the 2020 election should have been enough to ensure that he would never be elected again. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case and he is in power again and is now trying to dismantle the Constitutional checks & balances that kept him from ruling like a dictator during his first term. This started with a slew of executive orders on his inauguration day and his violations of the law, unethical actions and improper uses of executive power have been coming so fast and furious that it's hard to keep up. We will try to keep the list of Trump's and his cronies' abuses of power below updated, with links to more detailed information, so that RAGTAG members can refer their fellow citizens and members of Congress to it to see the full extent of Trump's misdeeds and the danger he and his cronies presents to our democracy.

1. Defying the Rule of Law:

   a. Pardoning 1500 convicted Jan 6 rioters, including those who assaulted police

   b. Firing over a dozen agency inspectors general without cause and without the 30-day notice required by law.

   c. Enabling Elon Musk and DOGE to cut Congressionally approved funding from federal agencies without approval from Congress

   d. Dropping corruption charges against NYC Mayor Adams for political reasons

2. Ignoring Constitutional Checks & Balances

   a. Issuing executive orders that are either illegal or override Congressional powers

   b. Ignoring or delaying compliance to court orders against his illegal executive orders

   c. Calling for the impeachment of judges who rule against his illegal executive orders

3. Attacking First Amendment Rights

   a. Freedom of Speech

       1) Deporting student demonstrators

       2) Calling for a DOJ investigation of  the former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) for criticizing Trump

   b. Freedom of the Press

      1) Barring Associated Press (AP) from Oval Office 

      2)  Denouncing CNN and MSNBC as "illegal"

      3) Shutting down Voice of America

      4) FCC investigations of PBS and NPR

4. Attacking political opponents:

   a. Removing GEN Milley’s security detail, clearance and portrait from the Pentagon

   b. Stripping security protection from former National Security Director John Bolton and former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci

   c. Revoking security clearances of 50 former intelligence officials

   d. Firing several Dept of Justice lawyers involved in prosecuting Trump 

   e. Firing senior FBI officials and Jan 6 prosecutors 

   f. Calling for the imprisonment of his political opponents

5. Purging the ranks of senior military officers who support DEI and/or might place their oath to the Constitution over loyalty to Trump:

   a. Coast Guard Commandant, Admiral Linda Fagan

   b. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Charles Brown

   c. Chief of Naval Operations,  Admiral Lisa Franchetti

   d. Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, General Jim Slife